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LIFE,  LETTERS,  AND  ADDRESSES 


OF 


AARON  FRIEDENWALD,  M.D. 


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LIFE,  LETTERS,  AND 
ADDRESSES 


OF 


Aaron  Friedenwald,  m.d, 


BY  HIS  SON 

HARRY  FRIEDENWALD,  M.D. 


PRINTED  FOR  PRIVATE  CIRCULATION 


ZU  ^ovi  (gdtimovt  ^vue 


BALTIMORE,    MD. 

U.   S.   A. 

1906 


Copyright,  1906,  by 
HARRY   FRIBDENWALD 


TO   HER 

WHO   FOR  THIRTY-NINE  YEARS 

HALVED  HIS  SORROWS 

AND  DOUBLED  HIS  JOYS 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 
Intboduction     11 

PAET  I. 
LIFE  AND  LETTERS. 

Chapter  L     Family   Antecedents    15 

n.     Early  Life  (1836-1860)    22 

in.     Student  Days  in  Berlin  ( 1860-1861) 33 

IV.  Student   Days   in    Paris,   Prague,   and   Vienna    (1861- 

1862)     59 

V.     Practice  and  Personality  84 

VI.    Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations 108 

VII.     Letters   (1887-1892)    125 

VIII.     Trip  to  Europe  (1895)    157 

IX.     Oriental  Trip  (1898)    165 

X.     Letters    (1899-1901)    203 

XL    Last  Days    (1902)    212 

PAET  II. 
ADDRESSES. 

I.  MedicaI/  Addresses. 

Introductory  Address  Delivered  before  the  Class  of  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  Baltimore  City,  September 
14,  1881    221 

Address  at  the  Opening  of  the  New  City  Hospital,  January 

1,  1890    233 

Address  Delivered  at  the  Celebration  of  the  Seventieth  Birthday 
of  Professor  Virchow,  held  in  the  Johns  Hopkins  University, 
October  13,  1891    239 

Memoir  of  Dr.  George  H.  Roh#,  Read  at  the  Spring  Meeting  of 

the  Maryland  Public  Health  Association,  1901  242 

II.  After  Dinner  Speeches. 

Response  to  the  Toast,  "  Our  Candidates  for  Graduation,  May 
They  All  Pass  a  Successful  Examination,"  at  a  Banquet 
given  by  the  Faculty  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  January  1,  1880   247 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  The  Faculty,"  at  the  Banquet  of  the 
Alumni  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  March 
1,   1882    251 


Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 


PAGE 

Response  to  a  Toast  at  the  Annual  Banquet  of  the  Alumni 

of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  March  3,  1884. .  256 

Address  Delivered  at  the  Annual  Banquet  of  the  Alumni  Asso- 
ciation of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  March 
12,   1885    259 

Response  to  the  Toast  "The  Final  Examination;  Examine  me 
on  the  Particulars  of  my  Knowledge,"  at  the  Annual 
Banquet  of  the  Alumni  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,   March  15,   1887 263 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  The  Specialist,"  at  the  Annual 
Banquet  of  the  Alumni  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  March  15,  1888  268 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  The  Cap  and  Gown,"  at  the  Annual 
Banquet  of  the  Alumni  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  1891    272 

Response  to  a  Toast  at  the  Annual  Banquet  of  the  Alumni  of 

the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  April  19,  1893 276 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  The  College,"  at  the  Annual  Banquet 
of  the  Alumni  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
April   15.   1897    280 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  Music,"  at  a  Banquet  of  the  Baltimore 

Medical  Association,  about  1873  283 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  The  Babies,"  at  the  Annual  Banquet 
of  the  Baltimore  Medical  and  Surgical  Society,  January 
28,   1886    285 

Response  to  the  Toast,  "  Jollity,  the  King  of  Medicines,"  at  the 

Annual  Meeting  of  the  Liberal  Club,  January  1,  1889 289 

Response  to  the  Toast  of  "  Matrimony  "  294 

III.  Jewish  Addresses. 

Address  on  the  Occasion  of  the  Dedication  of  a  Newly-Acquired 
Plot  of  Ground,  Delivered  at  the  Simchath  Torah  Festival 
of  the  Hebrew  Hospital  and  Asylum  Association  of  Balti- 
more City,  October  16,  1881   296 

Address    Delivered    at   the    Simchath    Torah    Festival    of   the 

Hebrew  Hospital  and  Asylum  Association,  1890 300 

Address  at  the  Purim  Banquet  held  by  the  Ladies'  Orphans'  Aid 

Society,  February  27,  1885  307 

"  Charity,"  an  Address  Delivered  at  the  Annual  Banquet  of  the 

Hebrew  Benevolent  Society,  December  1,  1892  310 

Address  Delivered  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Baltimore 
Branch  of  the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  March,  19, 
1893     315 

"  A   Trip   to   Palestine,"   an   Address   read   before   the   Young 

Men's  Hebrew  Association  of  New  York,  February  25,  1899.   318 


Contents.  9 

PAGE 

"  Glimpses  in  Palestine "   338 

"  Lovers   of   Zion,"   an   Address   Delivered   before   the   Mickvg 
Israel  Association  of  Philadelphia,  December  23,  1894 342 

Appekdix. 

List  of  Published  and  Unpublished  Writings  353 

LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Aaron   Friedenwald,   from  a  Photograph   taken  November  4, 

1901    Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 

Jonas  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  about  1865  18 

Merle  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  about  1865  20 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Daguerreotype  taken  in  April,  1860 28 

Facsimile  of  a  Letter  of  Professor  Nathan  R.  Smith 30 

Aaron    Friedenwald    (from   a   Photograph   taken   in   Berlin   about 

1860)    and  Bertha   Bamberger    (from  a  Photograph  taken   in 

1862)     32 

Moses  Friedenwald,  from  a  Daguerreotype  taken  about  1860 40 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  in  1863 84 

Home  (310  N.  Eutaw  Street),  from  a  Photograph  taken  in  1903...     88 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  about  1877 92 

OflBce,  from  a  Photograph  taken  shortly  after  Dr.   Friedenwald's 

Death,  1902   104 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  April  16,  1891 154 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  March  17,  1898 164 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  October, 

1899     202 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  April,  1902  212 

Mrs.  Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  in  1903 214 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  in  April,  1902 218 

Faculty  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  Baltimore, 

from  a  Photograph  taken  about  1884  260 

Aaron  Friedenwald,  from  a  Photograph  taken  April  16,  1891 272 

Facsimile  of  a  Specimen  of  My  Father's  Handwriting 288 

Note. — My  father  was  very  near-sighted;  the  cast  in  his  eyes,  seen 
in  some  of  the  photographs,  was  merely  apparent,  and  was  due  to  the 
glasses  he  wore. 


"There  are  three  crowns:  the  crown  of  Torah,  the  crown  of 
priesthood,  and  the  crotvn  of  hingdom;  hut  the  croivn  of  a  good 
name  excels  them  all." 

— Ethics  of  the  Fathers. 


INTEODUCTION. 

My  father's  life  was  not  a  long  one.  It  did  not  attain  the  number 
of  years  which,  according  to  the  Psalmist,  constitute  a  complete  life. 
Nevertheless  it  was  full  and  well-rounded.  Its  relations  with  that  of 
the  general  community  were  many  and  intimate.  So  numerous  and 
broad  were  my  father's  interests,  that  a  large  number  learned 
to  know  him  as  a  physician,  as  a  teacher,  as  a  public-spirited 
citizen,  as  a  loyal  son  of  Israel,  as  a  man.  Uniting  his  attach- 
ments and  allegiances,  he  fulfilled  the  many  and  varied  obliga- 
tions of  a  busy  practitioner  and  teacher  of  medicine  without  neg- 
lecting his  duties  to  his  family,  to  the  community,  and  to  his  people ; 
and  in  rendering  full  justice  to  all  the  demands  thus  made  upon 
him,  he  still  found  time  to  satisfy  the  calls  of  friendship,  of  social 
intercourse,  of  charity,  and  of  religion.  His  life  was  full  and  com- 
plete because  he  used  the  abilities  with  which  he  was  endowed  to 
the  fullest  extent  and  to  the  highest  and  best  purpose ;  undertaking 
much,  and  finishing  what  he  had  undertaken;  living  in  conformity 
with  the  highest  principles,  and  ever  guided  by  the  most  noble  and 
exalted  ideals. 

Added  interest  is  given  to  a  life  like  my  father's  by  the  fact 
that  whatever  he  accomplished,  his  position  in  the  community 
and  in  the  profession,  was  due  to  none  but  himself.  The 
influences  which  surrounded  him  in  his  youth  were  not  such  as  to 
lead  the  young  m^an  to  seek  the  higher  pursuits  of  a  professional  life. 
He  had  many  a  struggle,  but  the  difficulties  surmounted  were  the 
crucible  in  which  a  strong  character  was  formed,  a  character  in 
which  there  were  developed  and  refined  the  noblest  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart  and  soul. 

Although  his  life  was  not  filled  with  interesting  events,  much  of 
it  being  spent  in  the  quiet  industry  and  labor  which  shun  the  public 


13  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

gaze,  it  is  interesting  to  study  step  by  step  the  development  of  such 
a  life  from  its  beginnings  to  the  unfolding  of  its  full  manhood,  to 
trace  the  influence  of  environment  and  education,  to  learn  the 
views  of  life  which  guided  it,  the  fundamental  principles 
which  inspired  it.  The  material  which  I  possess  is  not  as  complete 
as  I  should  wish  it  to  be.  My  personal  recollections  cover  only  the 
latter  half  of  my  father's  life.  Some  of  his  letters  which  have  been 
preserved  reach  farther  back,  but  for  the  remainder  I  must  rely 
upon  what  he  related  of  his  early  life,  and  especially  upon  the  mem- 
ories of  her  who  for  thirty-nine  years  was  his  faithful  helpmate. 
I  have  all  the  letters  which  I  received  from  my  father,  and 
by  good  fortune  those  which  he  wrote  to  friends  and  relatives  when 
studying  in  Europe  as  a  young  man,  as  well  as  the  diaries  he  kept 
during  that  period,  have  also  been  preserved.  From  the  letters, 
numbering  many  hundreds,  I  have  made  selections  which  are  of  in- 
terest as  bearing  upon  his  vocation,  his  views,  his  character,  or  which 
possess  such  general  interest  as  warrants  their  publication  in  this 
volume.  From  a  large  number  of  addresses  of  various  kinds,  I  have 
chosen  a  number  for  publication.  I  have  also  included  a  few  after- 
dinner  speeches.  All  purely  medical  writings  have  been  excluded  as 
unsuited  to  the  purpose  of  this  volimie.  The  selections  have  been 
made  so  as  to  embrace  his  varied  interests,  medical,  communal, 
Jewish;  to  give  an  idea  of  his  style,  and  to  illustrate  his  wit  and 
humor.  In  the  work  of  selection  I  have  been  greatly  aided  by  Mr. 
David  S.  Blondheim,  to  whom  I  desire  to  express  my  obligations. 

As  far  as  possible,  I  have  used  the  letters  that  are  in  my  posses- 
sion to  weave  the  story  of  my  father's  life,  in  the  hope  that  he  who 
reads  them  may  feel  as  did  the  poet : 

"  So  word  by  word,  and  line  by  line 
The  dead  man  touched  me  from  the  past, 
And  all  at  once  it  seemed  at  last 
His  living  soul  was  flashed  on  mine." 


Introduction.  13 

The  letters,  together  with  the  addresses,  furnish  the  hest  material 
to  picture  the  man  as  he  really  was,  keen  of  intellect,  sound  in  judg- 
ment, broad  in  his  interests,  filled  with  admiration  for  the  beautiful 
in  nature,  in  art,  and  in  human  life,  fearless  and  independent,  affec- 
tionate and  tender,  "  fearing  God  and  keeping  his  commandments." 

H.F. 


LIFE  AND  LETTERS 


CHAPTEE  I. 
Family  Antecedents. 

Hesse-Darmstadt  is  a  fertile  country  of  hills  and  valleys,  inter- 
spersed with  rich  pasture  lands.  It  possesses  many  hamlets  and 
a  few  cities,  Darmstadt  being  the  largest  town  in  the  South  and 
Griessen  the  largest  in  the  North.  Jews  have  been  settled  in  this 
land  for  many  centuries.  The  earliest  mention  of  their  presence 
is  toward  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century,  when  "  individual 
Jewish  families  were  to  be  found  in  many  localities;"  and  from 
this  time  on  there  is  frequent  reference  to  them,  chiefly  in  the  form 
of  repressive  measures.  Thus,  in  1538,  Prince  Philip  the  Magnani- 
mous, although  he  seems  to  have  been  at  times  somewhat  kindly 
disposed  toward  the  Jews,  promulgated  a  decree  that  they  should 
not  resist  efforts  at  their  conversion,  that  they  should  build  no  new 
synagogues,  and  that  their  commerce  should  be  restricted. 

His  successors  continued  this  policy  of  persecution,  and  frequent 
threats  of  expulsion  served  only  to  vary  the  monotony  of  grinding 
taxation.  Thus  the  Jews  had  to  pay  "  protection-money ;  a  tax  for 
admission;  horse,  fair,  silver,  wax,  and  quill  taxes,"  as  well  as 
dons  gratuits  at  the  accession  of  a  new  sovereign. 

At  the  request  of  the  Jews,  a  decree  relating  to  dress  was  pro- 
mulgated in  1773,  with  a  view  to  restraining  luxury;  and  in  1785 
Jews  were  ordered  to  use  the  German  language  in  book-keeping 
and  commercial  correspondence.  With  the  period  of  enlightenment 
a  more  generous  spirit  swept  over  Hesse.  Under  Ludwig  X.  (1790- 
1830)  the  "LeihzoU"  was  abolished,  the  Jews  were  permitted 
to  acquire  real  estate,  and  the  way  was  paved  for  emancipation. 
When  Hesse  was  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  grand  duchy,  after  the 


16  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

wars  of  liberation,  the  constitution  of  December  17,  1830,  which 
placed  all  the  divisions  of  Hesse  on  an  equal  basis,  granted  the 
Jews  civil  liberty.  "A  special  edict  (1823)  regulated  Jewish  edu- 
cation, and  another  edict  (1830)  organized  the  congregations." 
Many  years  elapsed  before  all  restrictions  were  removed.^ 

The  majority  of  the  Jews  in  Hesse  were  small  traders,  though 
there  were  also  farmers  among  them.  Most  of  them  were  poor, 
many  were  very  poor;  for  conditions  such  as  have  been  described 
did  not  lead  to  affluence. 

My  father's  ancestors  had  lived  in  this  country  for  many  genera- 
tions. Near  Giessen,^  in  the  little  town  of  Altenbuseck,  lying  in  the 
valley  of  the  Buseck,  three  and  three-quarters  miles  from  Giessen, 
Jonas  Friedenwald  was  born  on  November  9,  1802.  His  father, 
"  Chayim,  the  son  of  Isaac,"  assumed  the  name  of  Friedenwald, 
probably  from  the  town  of  Friedewald."  Jonas  Friedenwald's 
mother,  whose  given  name  was  Biele,  died  in  1809,  when  he  was  a 
boy  of  seven.  On  April  16,  1794,  Merle  Bar  was  born  in  Boben- 
hausen,  situated  about  four  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of  Alten- 
buseck. She  married  a  relative  of  Jonas  Friedenwald,  named 
Moses  Stern,  and  bore  him  a  son,  soon  after  whose  birth  her  hus- 
band died.  The  widow  married  again,  her  second  husband  being 
Jonas  Friedenwald,  who  was  then  some  twenty  years  old,  being 
seven  years  younger  than  his  wife.  The  couple  owned  a  little  farm, 
part  of  which  had  been  acquired  by  Jonas,  and  were  hard-working 
and  industrious,  raising  by  their  unaided  efforts  sufficient  produce 
to  support  the  family,  including  the  aged  father.    They  would  go 

^  This  account  follows  the  "  Jewish  Encyclopedia,"  Vol.  VI,  Art. 
"  Hesse,"  from  which  the  quotations  are  derived. 

"The  memory  of  Giessen  lingered  long  in  family  tradition.  A  wind- 
fall was  always  greeted  by  the  words:  " Zu  Giessen  kann  man's 
hrauchen." 

'  A  small  place  in  Hesse-Nassau,  some  fifty-five  miles  to  the  north- 
east of  Giessen,  which  gave  its  name  to  the  treaty  of  Friedewald, 
signed  in  1551  between  France  and  the  League  of  Smalkalden. 


Family  Antecedents.  17 

into  the  field  at  daybreak,  finishing  tlieir  farm-work  before  break- 
fast, after  whicli  the  husband  would  carry  on  his  business  as  a  small 
trader.  He  was  strong,  energetic,  able,  and  ambitious ;  his  wife  was 
prudent  and  endowed  with  excellent  common-sense.  Many  years 
later,  long  after  she  had  passed  away,  her  husband  spoke  of  her 
with  admiration  and  love,  saying  that  his  marriage  was  the  best 
thing  that  had  ever  happened  to  him,  for  his  wife  had  always  given 
him  the  best  of  aid  and  counsel.  "  Indeed,"  he  added,  "  the  only 
time  I  made  a  great  mistake  was  when  I  declined  to  follow  her  ad- 
vice." 

An  increasing  family  and  an  early  recognition  of  the  poor  pros- 
pects which  life  in  Altenbuseck  offered  led  the  couple  to  resolve  to 
seek  another  home  by  emigrating  to  America.  They  were  the  first 
Jews  from  that  neighborhood  to  take  this  venturesome  step.  All 
their  effects  were  sold,  and  the  sum  realized  was  sufficiently  large 
to  cause  Jonas  Friedenwald  to  hesitate; — after  all,  might  he  not, 
perhaps,  begin  some  more  successful  enterprise  with  this  money? 
This  was  one  of  the  times  when  the  courage  and  judgment  of  his 
wife  came  to  his  aid.  Now  that  matters  had  gone  thus  far,  she  in- 
sisted upon  leaving,  and  her  voice  prevailed.  They  set  out  in  Septem- 
ber, 1831,  upon  a  sailing  vessel,  the  Louise  of  Bremen,  with  the  aged 
father,  Chayim  Friedenwald,^  Merle's  son,  Bernard  Stern  (1820- 
1873),  and  three  other  children,  Betzy  (1825-1894),  Joseph 
(1827-  ),  and  Isaac  Friedenwald  (1831-1904),  the  last  an  infant 
some  two  months  old,  on  the  weary  and  hazardous  voyage  to  Balti- 
more. The  passage,  which  lasted  four  months,  was  attended  with 
great  hardships.  Kosher  meat  had  been  smoked  and  packed  for  the 
long  trip,  but  unfortunately  the  captain  of  the  vessel  demanded  that 
it  be  placed  in  his  charge;  and,  though  it  was  explained  by  my  grand- 

**  Who  survived  the  arrival  in  America  sixteen  years,  during  which 
period  he  occasionally  acted  as  cantor  at  the  services  of  the  Baltimore 
Hebrew  Congregation.    He  died  in  1848,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six. 


18  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

father  that  if  this  were  done  the  Jewish  law  would  forbid  the  use  of 
the  meat,  the  order  was  obeyed.  The  entire  family  did  not  taste  a 
morsel  of  meat  during  all  those  months.  Their  sufferings  were  in- 
creased by  the  fact  that  the  wife  and  mother  became  very  sea-sick  as 
soon  as  the  ship  started,  and  did  not  recover  until  the  stormy  trip  was 
over.  In  addition  they  had  to  bear  the  taunts  and  Jeers  of  their  preju- 
diced fellow-passengers,  who  charged  them  with  being  responsible 
for  the  storms  encountered.  The  captain,  however,  respecting  the 
father's  faithful  observance  of  his  religious  duties  under  a  shower 
of  ridicule,  allowed  the  family  to  use  his  own  cabin  for  their  devo- 
tions. The  ship  arrived  on  Thursday,  January  15, 1832,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Patapsco,  after  meeting  with  great  difficulty  in  making  its 
way  through  the  ice  which  obstructed  the  bay  from  Annapolis  north- 
ward. As  the  river  was  frozen  over,  the  Louise  did  not  reach  Balti- 
more until  Friday  evening,  Just  before  sunset.  To  avoid  seeking 
lod,gings  on  the  Sabbath,  Jonas  Friedenwald  left  the  ship  on  Thurs- 
day night.  He  walked  over  the  ice  to  the  city,  in  which  he  found 
shelter,  renting  from  a  coreligionist  two  small  rooms  in  an  upper 
story,  and  awaited  the  coming  of  his  family.  The  immigrants  had 
neither  relatives  nor  friends  to  greet  them;"  they  were  penniless, 
for  all  their  slender  stock  of  money  had  been  expended  on  the 
voyage  over.  On  landing,  the  father  found  on  the  wharf  a  "  fippenny 
bit"  (a  coin  worth  about  six  cents),  and  this,  the  only  money  he 
had,  was  the  small  beginning  of  what  eventually  became  a  modest 
fortune.  His  sturdy  self-respect  led  him  to  decline  aid  which  was 
proffered  him,  though  he  was  so  hard  pressed  that  he  had  no  money 
to  buy  bread.  A  kind-hearted  baker  gave  him  a  loaf  on  credit, 
and  as  long  as  that  baker  remained  in  business  he  counted  among 
his  best  customers  the  family  of  the  man  he  had  befriended.  On 
the  day  after  the  immigrants  arrived  it  was  very  cold  in  the  bare 

"  There  were  at  that  time  only  three  or  four  German  Jewish  families 
in  Baltimore. 


^. 


'^-T^l^iZ^     <^^//^ 


JONAS  FRIEDENWALD 

About   i86s 


QjAwnaaam^  sahol 


as 
as 


olis  nortli- 


>u  the 
ag,  the  f .  *  fippeimy 

money  he 


W<^^2^-iZ^ 


/>^^^^^i.<^je--?'t--e<^-tX''-^^ 


Family  Antecedents.  19 

lodgings,  and  my  great-grandfather  and  Bernard  Stern  went  out 
into  the  woods  near  Patterson  Park  to  get  wood  to  make  a  fire. 
Joseph  Friedenwald,  a  little  boy,  shivering  with  cold,  said  to  his 
mother :  "  War  en  wir  nur  in  unserem  ivarmen  Stubchen  zu  Hause 
gehliehen!"  The  poor  woman,  who  had  braved  and  suffered  so 
much,  broke  down  and  cried  bitterly. 

But  better  times  soon  dawned.  In  a  few  days  Jonas  Frieden- 
wald,  who  had  decided  mechanical  ability,  started  out  as  an  um- 
brella mender,  an  occupation  which  he  had  learned  shortly  before 
leaving  Europe,  with  a  view  to  supporting  himself  in  America. 
This  work  from  the  first  yielded  him  an  income  sufficient  to  main- 
tain his  family,  to  lay  aside  enough  to  begin  a  general  junk-business, 
in  which  the  entire  household  aided  him,  and,  not  long  after,  to 
open  near-by  a  grocery  store,  of  which  his  wife  took  charge.  Suc- 
cess crowned  their  efforts,  and  a  ledger  of  the  years  1840  and  1841, 
which  is  in  the  hands  of  the  writer,  shows  numerous  accounts  run- 
ning into  several  hundreds  of  dollars.  This  progress  was  aided 
by  the  father's  early  acquisition  of  the  English  language,  which 
he  learned  to  use  with  ease,  partly  by  practice,  especially  in  the 
deliberations  of  Warren  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  which  he  soon 
became  a  member,'  and  partly  by  reading  the  Baltimore  Sun,  to 
which  he  remained  a  subscriber  for  sixty  years.  He  later  entered 
the  hardware  business,  in  company  with  his  son-in-law,  and  by  the 
year  1854  was  in  a  position  to  retire  upon  a  competence  sufficient 
to  maintain  his  family  in  comfort,  and  to  enable  him  to  give  freely 
to  all  the  needy  who  applied  to  him,  as  well  as  to  various  societies 
and  institutions.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Hebrew  As- 
sistance Society,  later  called  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society.  He 
was  chosen  its  second  treasurer,  and  continued  to  act  as  such  for 
many  years.    When  the  demands  upon  the  Benevolent  Society  on 

«He  was  for  some  years  before  his  death  the  oldest  Mason  in  Balti- 
more. 


20  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

behalf  of  the  sick  and  the  aged  exceeded  its  resources,  it  was  at  his 
instance  that  the  meeting  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the 
Hebrew  Hospital  and  Asylum  Association  was  held.  When  the 
need  for  an  orphan  asylum  for  Jewish  children  became  apparent,  he 
suggested  the  calling  of  a  meeting  at  which  the  Hebrew  Orphan  Asy- 
lum was  founded.  He  reestablished  the  Hebrew  Free  Burial  So- 
ciety, and  was  elected  its  president,  and  various  members  of  his 
family  united  in  donating  the  ground  in  which  the  society  makes 
interments.  For  many  years  he  distributed  to  the  poor  Mazzoth  for 
Passover,  and  by  a  liberal  bequest  which  he  made  this  charity  is 
still  continued.^  He  devoted  himself  almost  entirely  to  communal 
and  religious  affairs,  for  he  had  a  deep  love  for  his  faith  and  for 
his  people.  His  wise  counsel  aided  many  a  Jewish  newcomer  to 
establish  himself.  His  benevolence,  however,  knew  no  bounds  of 
race  or  creed;  his  will,  for  example,  contained,  among  other  be- 
quests, liberal  legacies  to  the  Baltimore  Association  for  the  Im- 
provement of  the  Condition  of  the  Poor,  to  the  German  Orphan 
Asylum,  and  to  the  German  Aged  People's  Home.  His  kindness  to 
the  unfortunate,  charity  to  the  poor,  and  hospitality  to  the  stranger 
became  proverbial. 

In  religion  his  attitude  was  uncompromisingly  conservative.  In 
protest  against  innovations  which  he  considered  improper  and  even 
impious  he  withdrew  in  1871  from  the  Baltimore  Hebrew  Congre- 
gation, and  formed,  together  with  a  few  associates,  the  Chizuk 
Emoonah  Congregation,  which  built  a  synagogue  in  Lloyd  street. 
In  connection  with  this  synagogue  he  aided  in  establishing  and 
maintaining  a  Beth  ha-Midrash,  together  with  a  Eabbinical  library. 

His  devotion  to  his  religion  appears  in  the  following  extract 

'  This  bequest  was  transferred,  after  the  death  of  Aaron  Friedenwald, 
to  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society  of  Baltimore,  the  directors  of  which 
agreed  to  apply  the  proceeds  in  perpetuity  in  accordance  with  the 
wishes  of  the  testator. 


MERLE   FRIEDENWALD 

About  1865 


aJAWl/l3a3IRl    3JR3IV1 


i)han  Asy- 


Family  Antecedents.  21 

from  a  letter  which  my  father  wrote  to  me  under  date  of  January 
1,  1888. 

"I  saw  grandfather  this  morning  and  he  inquired  after  you.  He 
had  a  cold,  he  told  me,  and  regretted  very  much  that  he  could  not 
go  to  synagogue  early  in  the  morning,  particularly  as  for  the  first 
time  they  failed  to  get  minyan.^  Just  think  of  it,  at  his  age,  on  a 
sleety  winter  morning,  upbraiding  himself  for  having  neglected 
what  he  considered  to  be  a  duty !  It  is  refreshing  to  see  a  man 
clinging  to  duty  throughout  a  long  life,  and  praying  for  strength 
to  continue  to  do  so." 

His  ninetieth  birthday  was  celebrated  in  the  synagogue  by  an 
imposing  service,  at  which  a  number  of  prominent  rabbis  delivered 
addresses  fitly  commemorating  his  services  to  his  people  and  to 
his  faith.  He  died  on  September  2,  1893,  having  nearly  reached 
his  ninety-first  birthday. 

His  wife  had  died  long  years  before,  on  July  9,  1871.  Her  death 
was  a  great  blow  to  her  husband,  then  a  man  of  seventy,  who  made 
a  two  years'  voyage  to  Europe  to  recover  from  its  depressing  effects. 
On  the  voyage  out  the  vessel  on  which  he  sailed  was  wrecked,  and 
he  was  the  last  passenger  to  leave  the  ship,  and  the  only  one  injured. 
Before  my  grandmother  died,  she  suffered  many  years  of  painful 
illness,  which  nevertheless  did  not  change  the  uniform  kindli- 
ness of  her  disposition.  She  was  noted  for  her  skilful  use  of  the  pithy 
aphorisms  in  which  Jewish  wit  is  so  prolific.  I  can  truly  say,  in  the 
words  of  Solomon,  that  she  was  a  "  virtuous  woman,  whose  price 
was  far  above  rubies.  The  heart  of  her  husband  trusted  in  her,  and 
she  did  him  good  and  not  evil  all  the  days  of  her  life.  She  opened 
her  mouth  with  wisdom,  and  the  law  of  kindness  was  on  her  tongue." 

*  The  quorum  necessary  for  public  worship. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Early  Life  (1830-1860). 

After  Jonas  Friedenwald's  arrival  in  America  two  sons  were 
born  to  him.  The  first  of  these,  Moses,  was  born  in  1834;  the 
second,  born  on  December  20,  1836,  almost  five  years  after  the 
landing  of  the  immigrants,  was  Aaron  Friedenwald,  the  subject  of 
the  present  biography.  His  schooling  began  early,  and  he  was  able 
to  write  when  he  was  eight  years  old.  He  remarks  in  a  letter  dated 
December  31,  1887 :  "  I  remember  well  when  I  first  began  to  write. 
It  was  in  1844,  and  it  does  not  seem  so  very  long  ago."  He  attended 
the  school  maintained  by  the  Baltimore  Hebrew  Congregation. 
Among  his  first  teachers  was  an  Irishman  named  Eoss,  a  dominie 
of  the  old  school,  stern  and  severe,  but  a  thorough  and  efficient  in- 
structor, for  whom  he  always  cherished  profound  respect.  In  later 
years  he  would  repeat  a  jingling  list  of  the  counties  of  Maryland, 
such  as  old-fashioned  pedagogues  delighted  in,  with  the  remark  that 
he  had  learnt  it  from  Eoss.  His  early  religious  training  was  re- 
ceived at  the  congregational  school.  His  instructors  were  Mr. 
Weil,  Mr.  Dannenberg,  Mr.  Sachs,  and,  later  on,  Eeverend  Dr. 
Henry  Hochheimer,  who,  soon  after  his  arrival  in  this  country,  pre- 
pared my  father  for  the  Bar-Mizwah  ceremony,  and  introduced  him 
to  the  study  of  Eashi's  Biblical  commentary.  He  early  acquired  for 
the  study  of  Hebrew  a  love  which  he  retained  throughout  his  life. 
He  was  an  apt  scholar,  and  in  later  years  looked  back  to  his  school 
days  as  pleasant  memories.  His  mother  described  him  as  very  studi- 
ous. Although  he  was  always  willing  to  help  in  any  way  he  could, 
she  said,  whenever  he  had  a  moment's  leisure  in  the  winter-time  he 


Eaely  Life.  33 

■would  find  a  snug  comer  near  the  stove  and  read  some  interesting 
book.  He  received  scant  encouragement  at  home,  however,  and 
was  looked  upon  as  a  mere  dreamer.  His  brother  Moses  was  the 
only  member  of  the  family  who  could  understand  him  and  sympa- 
thize with  him. 

An  important  influence  upon  the  formation  of  his  character  was 
that  exerted  by  the  late  Eeverend  Abraham  Eice,  the  first  Eabbi 
of  the  Baltimore  Hebrew  Congregation  and  an  intimate  friend  of 
the  family.  Eice  was  a  very  pious  man,  whose  congenial  nature 
and  religious  fervor  attracted  the  thoughtful  boy,  and  it  is  to  his 
influence  rather  than  to  any  other  that  I  should  ascribe  the  con- 
sistent religious  views  which  marked  the  whole  course  of  my  father's 
life.  His  loving  veneration  for  Eice  appeared  in  his  frequent  refer- 
ences to  him  and  in  his  unvarying  custom  of  having  the  prayer  for 
the  dead  recited  in  his  memory  on  the  Day  of  Atonement.  He 
mentioned  on  several  occasions  his  intention  of  publishing  a  biog- 
raphy of  the  rabbi,  together  with  a  selection  from  his  sermons, 
«ome  of  which  my  father  transcribed;  this  intention,  however,  was 
never  carried  out. 

His  school  days  were  soon  over,  and  the  earnest  work  of  life  be- 
gan for  him  when  he  was  about  fifteen  years  old.  His  brothers, 
who  were  engaged  in  the  clothing  business,  employed  him  as  a 
book-keeper.  He  continued  at  this  work  till  his  twenty-first  birth- 
day, finding  the  position  decidedly  uncongenial.  Many  years  elapsed 
before  he  completely  outlived  the  bitterness  of  this  period.  In  a 
letter  written  in  his  later  life  (December  22,  1887)  to  his  favorite 
brother  Moses  he  says,  "  We  are  afforded  .  .  .  the  consolation 
that  now  we  can  look  up  higher  than  to  those  who  ruled  over  us 
then,  and  that  many  heartaches,  disappointments,  and  humiliations 
to  which  we  were  subjected  then  have  also  been  interred." 

But  this  period  was  not  entirely  spent  in  the  drudgery  of  office 


24  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

work.  The  ambitious  clerk  was  preparing  himself  for  some  broader 
sphere  of  activity.  His  evenings  were  devoted  in  great  part  to 
study  and  general  reading.  He  took  lessons  from  Mr.  Jonas  Gold- 
smith in  French,  making  considerable  progress  in  that  language; 
and  he  learned  to  know  English  literature  well,  being  particularly 
interested  in  fiction  and  in  history.  The  sciences,  especially  physics, 
chemistry,  and  mathematics,  were  also  diligently  studied,  and  he 
gained  so  thorough  a  knowledge  of  them  that  in  later  years  his 
children  never  brought  him  a  question  in  science  or  a  problem  in 
algebra  or  geometry  which  he  could  not  nelp  them  to  unravel. 

At  this  time  he  benefited  by  attending  the  debates  of  a  literary 
society  which  met  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Calvert  and  Centre 
streets.  Later,  about  1855,  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  a  similar 
society,  called  the  Hebrew  Young  Men's  Literary  Association,  be- 
coming one  of  the  most  active  members  of  this  body.  In  February, 
1856,  he  was  elected  recording  secretary,  and  several  years  later  was 
chosen  president.  The  debates  held  by  this  society,  which  was  com- 
posed of  a  number  of  young  men  from  eighteen  to  twenty  years  of 
age,  were  a  source  of  entertainment  and  instruction.  A  number  of 
speeches  which  my  father  wrote  to  deliver  in  these  debates  are  still 
in  existence,  and  show  that  he  had  at  that  time  a  good  command  of 
forceful  English,  For  example,  he  opens  an  essay  on  "  Patriotism," 
written  about  1857,  in  the  following  words : 

"  Of  all  the  virtues  which  are  calculated  to  elevate  a  person  in  the 
estimation  of  his  countrymen,  which  procure  for  him  the  respect  of 
the  world  and  hand  down  his  name  to  be  revered  by  posterity,  there 
is  none  to  be  compared  to  Patriotism.     .     .     . 

"  Would  the  justice  of  an  Aristides,  the  piety  of  a  Washington, 
the  wisdom  of  a  Franklin  or  a  Jefferson,  the  valor  of  a  Jackson  have 
occupied  such  a  great  [place]  in  the  minds  of  their  countrymen  or 
on  the  pages  of  history  had  not  their  patriotic  deeds  caused  uni- 


Early  Life.  25 

versal  admiration  and  enthusiasm?  .  .  .  He  who  is  imbued 
with  that  noble  feeling  is  fearless  of  danger,  regardless  of  sacrifice, 
when  his  services  are  required  either  to  check  the  baneful  influence 
of  party  spirit  and  to  quell  the  dangerous  agitations  that  ambitious 
demagogues  may  occasion  at  home,  to  defend  the  sanctity  of  his 
country  from  the  invasion  of  a  foreign  foe,  or  to  break  the  fetters 
of  an  enslaved  people." 

His  views  upon  public  speaking  are  expressed  in  one  of  these  es- 
says as  follows:  "When  has  there  been  such  an  extraordinary 
striving  for  the  acquisition  of  eloquence  as  there  is  in  the  present 
time?  Almost  every  school  boy,  dazzled  by  the  brilliance  of  the 
position  occupied  by  eloquent  men,  is  led  to  the  erroneous  belief 
that  the  culture  ...  of  his  perhaps  overvalued  abilities  will 
make  him  a  second  Cicero,  or  flatters  himself  destined  to  fill  the 
position  left  vacant  by  Clay,  Calhoun,  and  Webster.  ...  I 
grant  that  study,  perseverance,  and  application  may  contribute  to 
the  gracefulness  of  position,  to  the  development  of  the  voice,  to  the 
beauty  of  language,  to  the  impressiveness  of  speech,  and  to  the  per- 
suasiveness of  argument.  .  .  .  Was  it  art  that  enabled  the 
fathers  of  the  Revolution  to  kindle  enthusiasm  within  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  that  brought  about  such  glorious  results?  Was  it 
.  .  .  studied  rhetoric  that  fired  the  people  to  action,  that  caused 
them  to  forget  the  dangers  of  war  and  fly  to  arms  to  do  the  bidding 
of  th-eir  country  ?  ...  It  was  their  patriotism,  which  was  dis- 
played in  every  word  they  uttered.  It  was  their  love  for  the  cause 
of  humanity,  which  flashed  from  their  countenances.  It  was  their 
devotedness  to  their  coimtry,  which  characterized  their  .  .  . 
illustrious  careers.  It  was  their  sincerity,  which  was  as  palpable 
then  as  it  was  afterwards  in  their  struggles  upon  the  fields  of 
battle.     .     .     . 

"  While  the  heart  bled,  while  humanity  groaned  under  the  iron 
heel  of  oppression,  when  it  was  seen  that  even  in  exile  there  was 


26  Aaron  Peiedenwald,  M.  D. 

no  refuge  from  the  cruelties  of  the  tyrant,  then  every  appeal  in  be- 
half of  freedom  became  eloquent,  for  it  was  the  effusion  of  the 
soul.     .     .     . 

"  Let  a  man  be  as  perfect  in  oratory  as  art  can  make  him,  if 
there  is  the  least  blemish  upon  his  character,  if  there  is  anything 
that  can  cause  it  to  be  suspected  that  he  is  more  a  preacher  than  a 
practice!  of  morality,  all  the  resources  that  he  can  bring  to  bear 
will  be  fruitless  and  unavailing.     .     .     ." 

It  was  the  custom  of  this  society  to  have  a  written  report  of  each 
meeting  submitted  by  a  member  selected  to  act  as  critic.  A  volume 
of  such  reports,  extendiuig  from  November  12,  1856,  to  February 
21,  1858,  is  in  my  possession.  My  father's  name  occurs  frequently 
as  a  participant  in  the  discussions,  and  the  book  contains  a  number 
of  reports  written  and  signed  by  him  in  a  characteristic  hand,  al- 
most identical  with  that  of  his  latest  years.  From  this  book  the 
following  excerpts  are  taken.  As  critic  of  the  meeting  of  December 
21,  1856,  at  which  the  subject,  "  Do  Circumstances  ever  Justify 
Crime?"  was  discussed,  he  takes  exception  to 

"...  One  argument,  however,  which  appears  to  me  to  be  very  er- 
roneous. [The  debater]  said  that  the  crime  of  perjury  would  be 
justifiable  should  its  commission  be  the  means  of  saving  an  inno- 
cent person  from  an  ignominious  death.  If  we  examine  upon  what 
principle  the  taking  of  oath  was  instituted,  the  fallacy  of  the  argu- 
ment will  at  once  appear.  In  the  taking  of  evidence  in  cases  of 
law,  why  will  not  the  plain  statement  suffice?  What  importance 
is  added  to  it  by  an  oath?  It  is  justly  supposed  that,  when  a  man 
is  conscious  of  certain  punishment,  it  will  act  as  a  great  means  to 
prevent  him  from  committing  crime.  And,  as  the  commandment 
says :  '  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  vain,  for  the 
Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  who  taketh  his  name  in  vain,'  who 
then  can  expect  to  be  held  guiltless  if  he  calls  the  name  of  the 
Lord  to  witness  the  utterance  of  a  falsehood?" 


Early  Life.  27 

At  the  meeting  held  on  November  29,  1857,  he  recited  a  poem. 
The  critic  of  the  meeting  remarks :  "  His  solemn  tone  of  voice  was 
well  suited  to  the  character  of  the  piece  he  had  chosen,  and  only  at 
the  end  of  some  sentences  degenerated  into  a  singing  tone." 

As  critic  of  the  meeting  of  December  27,  1857,  he  mentions  the 
late  Dr.  A.  B.  Arnold,  then  a  physician  of  ten  years'  practice,  whom 
he  describes  elsewhere  as  the  "  guardian  of  our  society."  He  speaks 
thus  of  Arnold,  who  had  taken  part  in  the  debate :  "  The  doctor's 
remarks  were  delivered  in  his  usual  agreeable  and  impressive  style. 
The  manner  in  which  he  constantly  scans  the  arguments  of  his  op- 
ponents without  losing  sight  of  those  he  intends  to  establish  is  one 
peculiarly  his  own." 

His  humor  sometimes  appeared  in  these  criticisms.  He  thus  flays 
Mr.  N".,  who  was  to  have  given  a  historical  reading :  "  He  caused  the 
audience  a  double  disappointment.  First,  the  piece  of  poetry  which 
he  read  was  entirely  devoid  of  historical  interest;  and,  secondly,  his 
reading  was  as  bad  as  his  selection." 

He  derived  great  advantage  from  several  years  of  activity  in  this 
society.  In  after  years,  when  he  was  noted  as  an  orator  from  whose 
lips  an  address,  a  lecture,  or  an  after-dinner  speech  flowed  with 
equal  grace,  and  as  a  speaker  who  was  never  at  a  loss  for  the  fitting 
word,  he  assured  the  writer  that  as  a  young  man  public  speaking 
had  been  most  painful  and  embarrassing  to  him,  and  that  only  long 
practice  had  overcome  this  difiiculty.  Usually,  though  not  always, 
he  wrote  out  what  he  intended  to  say,  and  after  one  or  two  readings 
of  his  manuscript  he  would  be  prepared  to  deliver  an  address  com- 
bining the  order  and  finish  of  a  set  speech  with  the  freedom  and 
spontaneity  of  impromptu  discourse. 

On  April  22,  1858,  he  was  received  into  Masonry,  and  on  June  24 
of  the  same  year  he  became  a  Master  Mason  in  Amicable  Lodge, 
No.  25,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  Though  not  active  as  a  Mason,  he  re- 
mained a  member  of  this  lodge  until  his  death,  forty-five  years 
later. 


28  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

When  my  father  reached  his  majority,  he  informed  his  parents 
that  he  was  resolved  to  give  up  business  and  to  study  medicine,  and 
accordingly  he  entered  on  March  6,  1858  the  ojB&ce  of  Professor 
Nathan  E.  Smith,  known  among  the  medical  profession  as  the 
"  Emperor,"  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  surgeons  of  his  day.  He 
also  took  out  cards  for  the  courses  at  the  University  of  Maryland. 
This  step  marked  the  turning  point  of  his  life.  He  had  long  looked 
forward  to  intellectual  work,  and  was  obliged  to  overcome  great 
difficulties  in  the  shape  of  prejudices  and  other  obstacles  which 
blocked  his  path.  His  studies  meant  a  new  life  to  him,  a  life  which 
released  him  from  an  occupation  thoroughly  distasteful,  and  opened 
the  way  to  activities  which  he  had  long  looked  forward  to  and  never 
ceased  to  love. 

One  day,  soon  after  he  entered  Professor  Smith's  office  as  a  pupil, 
he  walked  into  the  university  infirmary  and  found  a  note,  unsigned, 
making  an  insulting  reference  to  his  religion.  He  immediately 
wrote  underneath  the  scrawl :  "  The  man  who  wrote  the  above  lines 
is  as  great  a  coward  as  he  is  a  scoundrel,  or  he  would  have  signed 
his  name";  and  then  added  his  own,  "A.  Friedenwald."  In  a 
short  time  he  was  confronted  by  a  number  of  students,  one  of  whom 
demanded  menacingly  to  know  if  he  had  written  those  words.  He 
emphatically  affirmed  that  he  had,  and  stood  so  plainly  ready  to 
answer  for  what  he  had  done  that  his  opponents  left  the  room  one  by 
one,  not  daring  to  molest  him.  His  election  to  the  "  Push  Club," 
a  secret  university  organization,  named  after  the  famous  Dr.  Ben- 
jamin Rush  of  Philadelphia,  membership  in  which  was  an  indica- 
tion of  scholarship  and  character,  soon  followed.  Dr.  N".  G.  Keirle, 
who  was  at  that  time  an  advanced  student,  and  remembers  the  in- 
cident well,  recently  told  me  of  an  epilogue  to  this  story.  Many 
years  later  he  met  my  father  looking  for  Dr.  0.,  the  author  of  the 
unsigned  note,  in  order  to  assure  him  that  he  bore  him  no  ill-will. 
Dr.  Keirle,  who  told  my  father  that  Dr.  0.,  who  had  for  many  years 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 


1  e- 


parents 

-   ij  le,  and 

i  Trofessor 

-     as  the 

lay.  He 

^be  TJniverfei  iryland. 

He  had  long  looked 


opened 


the  wa;  ver 

,->mif]i's  nfficp  :is  a  nnnH 


^^  iiAv 


He 

ready  to 

I'n.Ai  one  by 

QJAWnaaairtr^'MOfiAA  Rnsh  Club," 

oMivi^ffirtHv.!',  ■  >r.  Ben-" 

.  indica- 

•  .  Keirle, 

tlv  in- 

Ma7:iy 

:"  the 


vearf^ 


jed  note,  :-v^-ill-. 

,  who  to  'iV  years 


Early  Life.  29 

been  a  clerk  in  a  drug-store,  had  recently  died,  was  deeply  touched 
at  the  sorrow  which  this  information  caused  him. 

As  the  affair  of  the  anonymous  note  would  show,  my  father  was 
a  man  of  courage  and  sturdiness.  He  was  fully  able  to  take  care  of 
himself.  One  day,  when  a  very  small  boy,  he  came  home  crying 
that  another  boy  had  given  him  a  whipping;  whereupon  his  father 
gave  him  another,  with  the  admonition  to  defend  himself  better  in 
the  future.  He  profited  by  the  lesson.  Swimming,  driving,  and 
fishing  were  the  favorite  sports  of  his  younger  days,  though  he  and 
his  brothers  were  also  fond  of  wrestling.  He  became  expert  in  all 
of  these  forms  of  exercise,  and  developed  an  active  and  muscular 
physique.  As  a  little  boy  he  was  in  the  habit  of  swimming  in  the 
harbor,  close  to  his  home  at  the  foot  of  Bond  street;  and  once  nar- 
rowly escaped  death,  haviAg  been  caught  under  the  rafters  of  the 
wharf.  On  another  occasion  he  and  his  brother  Moses,  at  the  risk 
of  their  lives,  saved  a  boy  from  drowning. 

His  courage  was  seen  on  more  than  one  occasion.  In  his  younger 
days  there  was  a  body  of  "  Know-nothing  "  rowdies  who  were  in  the 
habit  of  disturbing  balls,  picnics,  and  other  gatherings,  and  often 
broke  them  up.  My  father  and  his  friends  twice  gave  these  worthies 
an  unpleasant  reception.  On  one  of  these  occasions  the  roughs  at- 
tempted to  disturb  a  ball  given  at  the  "  New  Assembly  Eooms." 
They  entered,  and  were  about  to  resort  to  their  usual  tactics  when 
the  gentlemen  present,  who  were  prepared  for  them,  locked  the 
doors,  and  soon  laid  every  one  of  the  unbidden  guests  flat  on  the 
floor.  Then  the  doors  were  opened,  and  each  one  of  the  invaders 
was  carried  from  the  hall  by  two  bearers,  one  at  his  head  and  one 
at  his  heels,  and  unceremoniously  tumbled  out  into  the  street.  This 
was  the  last  time  my  father  and  his  friends  were  ever  molested  by 
these  gentry.  During  the  time  that  he  was  a  student  of  medicine 
he  stopped  one  evening  at  the  clothing  store  kept  by  his  brothers. 
A  fellow  suddenly  rushed  in,  snatched  an  armful  of  clothes,  and 


30  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

dashed  away  at  full  speed.  My  father  immediately  started  after 
him;  presently  the  thief  dropped  the  goods,  but  the  pursuer  never 
slackened  his  pace.  The  rowdy  ran  over  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street,  drew  a  revolver,  and  shouted :  "  If  anybody  comes  near  me, 
I'll  shoot."  Without  a  second's  hesitation,  my  father  rushed  at  him,, 
seized  him  by  the  throat,  threw  him  down,  snatched  the  revolver  out 
of  his  grasp,  and,  holding  it  at  his  head,  kept  him  prisoner  until  a 
policeman  arrived  to  conduct  the  thief  to  the  station-house.  On 
another  occasion  my  father  was  seated  in  the  rear  of  the  second  of 
three  carriages  in  which  a  picnic  party  was  riding.  The  inexperi- 
enced driver  of  the  first  carriage  carelessly  allowed  his  horse  to 
get  too  near  the  edge  of  a  steep  embankment.  The  vehicle  was  on 
the  point  of  toppling  over,  when  my  father,  seeing  the  danger, 
cleared  the  front  seat,  leaped  over  the  dash-board,  ran  up,  and,  at 
the  risk  of  his  life,  stopped  the  horse.  It  was  all  done  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye. 

The  incident  just  mentioned  occurred  during  my  father's  student 
days  at  the  University  of  Maryland.  This  period  combined  hard 
study  with  the  pleasures  of  friendly  intercourse  with  congenial 
fellow-students  and  teachers,  and  he  often  alluded  to  it  in  later  life. 
His  most  intimate  friend  among  the  students  was  Alexander  Bear, 
of  Virginia,  who,  after  graduation,  enlisted  in  the  Confederate 
Army,  and  later  settled  in  Nebraska.  Both  were  frequent  visitors  at 
the  home  of  Dr.  A.  B.  Arnold.  It  was  Mr.  Bear  who  introduced  my 
father,  at  a  picnic  in  1859,  to  Miss  Bertha  Bamberger.  This  ac- 
quaintance finally  led  to  their  betrothal  and  marriage. 

Among  my  father's  teachers  at  the  University  of  Maryland  there 
were  several  who  should  be  specially  mentioned.  Foremost  among 
these  was  Professor  Smith.  For  two  years  my  father  remained  in 
his  oflSce,  and  the  relations  between  them  became  very  close.  Smith 
won  his  imbounded  admiration  and  esteem,  both  as  a  surgeon 
and  as  a  man,  and  that  this  esteem  was  returned  is  shown  by 


4  ^  hj  ^ 


Early  Life.  31 

the  following  certificate,  given  my  father  on  the  eve  of  his  depar- 
ture for  Europe. 

University  of  Maryland,  April  22,  1860. 
It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  bear  unsolicited  testimony  to  the 
superior  merits  and  qualifications  of  my  young  friend  and  recent 
pupil,  Dr.  Aaron  Friedenwald. 

Dr.  Friedenwald  is  a  recent  graduate  of  the  University  of  Mary- 
land, and  has  been  a  private  pupil  of  my  oflfice  during  two  years. 
He  has  seen  much  of  my  practice  and  has  aided  me  in  many  sur- 
gical operations.  He  has  applied  himself  with  distinguished  in- 
dustry and  intelligence  and  in  all  respects  he  has  commanded  my 
highest  respect  and  confidence. 

I  there  [fore]  commend  him,  without  reserve,  to  the  kind  offices 
of  all  with  whom  my  name  may  have  influence. 

Nathan  E.  Smith,  M.  D., 
Prof,  of  Surgery,  University  of  Md. 

There  sprang  up  between  master  and  pupil  a  firm  friendship, 
which  ended  only  with  the  death  of  the  former  in  1877. 

Professor  Charles  Frick,  the  able,  original,  and  enthusiastic  in- 
structor in  materia  medica  and  therapeutics,  was  another  favorite 
teacher.  His  death  in  March,  1860,  shortly  after  the  commencement, 
was  a  great  shock  to  my  father,  who  cherished  among  his  most 
valued  papers  the  introductory  address  delivered  by  Frick  at  the 
beginning  of  the  session  of  1858-1859,  Professor  Joseph  Roby, 
one  of  the  best  anatomists  this  country  ever  had,  also  made  a  deep 
impression  upon  him.  In  later  life  my  father  often  spoke  of  him 
as  a  most  remarkable  man.  The  genial  Professor  G.  W.  Miltenber- 
ger,  who  outlived  his  pupil,  occupied  the  chair  of  obstetrics.  He 
always  remained  a  fast  friend  of  my  father's.  The  other  instructors 
were  -Samuel  Chew,  professor  of  the  principles  and  practice  of 
medicine,  William  E.  A.  Aikin,  professor  of  chemistry  and 
pharmacy,  and  Berwick  B.  Smith,  demonstrator  of  anatomy. 


32  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

Dilijgent  study  marked  the  future  physician's  work  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Maryland,  and  a  successful  conclusion  crowned  the  activ- 
ity of  two  well-spent  years  on  February  28,  1860,  under  which  date 
Dr.  Miltenberger,  as  Dean  of  the  Medical  Faculty,  informed  him 
that  he  had  passed  the  final  examinations.  The  commencement  ex- 
ercises took  place  at  the  New  Assembly  Eooms,  at  the  corner  of 
Lombard  and  Hanover  streets,  on  March  3,  1860. 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD   AND    BERTHA    BAMBERGER 


32 

'  ihf^.  Uni- 


date 


.'  corner  of 


n3£)R3aMAa  AHTH3a  QUA  QjAwnaaami  i/ioaaa 


CHAPTER  III. 
Student  Days  in  Berlin  (1860-1861). 

My  father  resolved  to  continue  his  medical  studies  in  Europe  be- 
fore entering  upon  the  practice  of  medicine.  Such  a  journey  was 
rarely  undertaken  in  those  days,  and  consequently  the  preparations, 
both  on  the  part  of  the  traveler  and  on  that  of  his  friends,  were  much 
more  elaborate  then  than  they  are  now.  His  friends  of  the  Hebrew 
Young  Men's  Literary  Association  presented  him  with  a  gold-headed 
cane  and  a  set  of  resolutions  expressing  their  "  sincere  sorrow  at 
parting  with  one  who  has  been  eminent  in  the  faithful  discharge  of 
his  duties  and  who,  being  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Association,  has 
labored  zealously  for  its  welfare." 

A  few  evenings  before  his  departure  he  became  engaged  to  Miss 
Bertha  Bamberger.  The  engagement  was  not  announced  until  his 
return  to  America,  about  two  years  later.  In  the  diary  of  his 
European  trip,  in  referring  to  a  game  of  chess  with  a  friend,  he 
writes  (under  date  of  May  31, I860):"  This  game  puts  me  in  mind 

of  the  last  game  I  played  in  Baltimore.    It  was  with [his 

betrothed]  ;  some  time  ago  I  first  sought  her  company  for  the  pur- 
pose of  having  an  opportunity  of  playing  chess  with  a  lady.  I  soon 
found  that  her  conversational  powers  were  far  more  attractive  than 
her  chess-playing.  .  .  .  This  was  the  game  in  which  occurred 
that  lasting  check-mate." 

On  April  26  he  left  for  New  York  to  embark  on  May  1  upon  the 
steamship  Hammonia,  of  the  Hamburg-American  line.  In  New 
York  he  received  a  letter  from  his  eldest  brother,  Bernard  Stern, 
giving  him  good  advice  and  proffering  assistance,  if  needed,  add- 
ing: "  I  hope  you  will  be  the^  bright  star  of  our  family,  which  will 


34  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

give  pleasure  to  us  all  and  to  yourself,  I  would  acquire  knowledge 
not  only  in  the  branch  of  medicine,  but  in  all  branches,  so  that  you 
may  become  a  professor  in  time.  This  is  my  wish  and  that  of 
us  all."    The  advice  was  heeded,  and  the  wish  fulfilled. 

His  letters  and  a  diary  kept  at  that  time  may  now  take  up  the 
thread  of  the  story.  After  seeing  the  sights  of  Hamburg,  he  pro- 
ceeded on  the  twentieth  of  May  directly  to  Berlin,  and  matriculated 
at  the  University.  "  Matriculating  in  our  country  takes  about  five 
minutes,  here  very  nearly  the  whole  day.  On  going  in  and  stating 
my  desire  to  matriculate,  was  asked  for  my  credentials;  handed  in 
my  diploma.  Was  then  asked  for  my  passport;  told  him  that  it 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  police  department;  was  told  to  go  for 
it ;  and,  finding  the  clerk  in  a  good  humor,  obtained  it,  contrary  to 
the  rules ;  it  was  necessary  to  go  about  a  mile  in  my  police  district 
and  get  the  sanction  of  the  head  of  the  police  there,  to  ask  for  my 
passport.  Was  driven  in  a  DroschJce  to  the  university,  and,  after 
signing  six  or  seven  documents,  was  fully  matriculated.  It  was 
then  necessary  to  go  to  the  Dean  of  the  Medical  Faculty  and  get 
another  document,  then  to  return  to  the  Qudstur  at  the  university, 
to  pay  for  my  tickets,  then  to  the  various  professors'  residences  to 
get  my  Anmeldebogen  signed."  [Diary.]  He  enrolled  himself  for  the 
following  courses:  AugenJcranlcheiten  und  Aiigenheilhunde,  von 
Graefe;  M  edizinische  Klinih,  Frerichs;  Chirurg-augendrztliche 
Klinik,  Langenbeck;  Klinih  fiir  Augenkranke,  von  Graefe;  and, 
somewhat  later,  Poiliologie,  Virchow;  and  a  practical  course  in 
ophthalmoscopy  under  Liebreich. 

The  first  letter  he  received  from  his  father  expressed  the  hope  that 
his  religious  attitude  would  not  be  altered  by  his  stay  abroad.  He 
replied : 

Berlin,  May  28,  1860. 
Dear  Father, 

I  hope  you  will  not  be  too  much  concerned  about  my  religious 
deportment;  for,  though  I  will  not  promise  to  equal  your  piety,  I 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  35 

shall  always  look  upon  it  as  an  example  with  feelings  of  pride,  and 
will  endeavor  to  approach  it  to  such  a  degree,  at  least,  that  when  I 
shall  meet  you  again,  I  shall  not  give  you  cause  to  regret  my  present 
absence  from  home.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  May  28,  1860. 
Dear  Friends, 

I  have  no  doubt  you  are  very  anxious  to  know  how  I  stand  my 
absence  from  home.  Well,  not  having  expected  to  find  things  quite 
as  comfortable  as  I  had  them  at  home,  I  have  not  been  greatly  dis- 
appointed. My  situation  is,  however,  comfortable  enough  to  pre- 
vent any  serious  degree  of  homesickness;  and,  though  I  often  think 
of  home  and  the  dear  ones  I  have  left  behind,  as  I  know  that  many 
a  devout  prayer  for  my  success  arises  there,  it  is  more  with  feelings 
of  pleasure  than  of  pain.  Every  thought  of  home  acts  as  a  fresh 
stimulus  to  my  energies,  and  makes  me  anxious  that  my  return 
should  be  more  satisfactory  than  speedy.     .     .     . 

I  paid  my  respects  to  our  minister,  the  Hon.  Joseph  N.  Wright;, 
a  few  days  ago,  and  was  cordially  received  by  him.  I  felt  perfectly 
easy  in  his  company;  before  I  left,  I  felt  as  though  I  had  known 
him  for  years.  He  invited  me  to  repeat  my  visit.  His  deportment 
presents  a  strange  contrast  to  the  haughtiness  of  the  Prussian  offi- 
cials with  whom  I  came  in  contact.  It  has  made  me  fall  in  love 
afresh  with  everything  American. 

A  few  evenings  since,  being  in  a  beer  garden,  I  heard  some  one 
in  the  crowd  whistling  "  Yankee  Doodle ;"  I  was  affected  as  by  an 
electric  shock,  was  almost  involuntarily  drawn  to  the  spot,  and 
found  that  the  melody  emanated  from  a  respectable-looking,  well- 
dressed  young  gentleman.  I  accosted  him  with,  "  What  right  have 
you  to  whistle  my  songs?"  No  further  altercation  took  place,  he 
having  established  his  right  by  stating  that  he  was  an  American, 
and  a  Baltimorean  at  that,  who  was  here  to  serve  an  apprenticeship 


36  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

in  a  very  large  mercantile  establishment.    After  this,  of  course,  we 
had  a  fine  time  together.     .     .     . 

This  morning  brought  me  a  letter  from  David  and  Eebecca  and 
one  from  Moses.  You  cannot  imagine  with  what  joy  I  read  them. 
It  used  to  amuse  me  to  see  our  good  aunt  Eoschen  read  the  letters 
she  received  from  Germany,  but  now  I  can  appreciate  her  feel- 
ings. ...  I  could  hardly  read  the  letters  on  account  of  the 
continued  stream  of  tears  which  they  caused  to  gush  forth.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  June  17,  1860. 

Dear  Parents, 

I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  my  joy  on  receiving  your  letter 
dated  May  31.  I  heard  on  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth  of  the 
arrival  of  the  steamer,  and  I  felt  sure  that  I  should  receive  a 
letter  from  home.  Every  time  the  bell  rang,  I  was  on  my  feet  and 
listening  anxiously  to  hear  some  one  inquire  for  me.  At  last  my 
Wirth,  of  whom  I  had  inquired  so  often  about  letters,  and  who,  in 
consequence,  knew  my  anxiety,  came  into  my  room  with  the  most 
pleasant  countenance  I  ever  saw,  and  two  letters  in  his  hand.  In 
a  moment  every  muscle  in  my  body  was  quivering;  how  often  I 
read  them  over  I  am  now  unable  to  say,  but  it  seemed  to  me  that 
I  should  never  get  tired  of  reading  them.  I  went  to  the  lectures, 
but,  despite  all  my  efforts,  my  thoughts  were  across  the 
ocean.     .     .     . 

I  am  very  much  pleased  with  Berlin;  it  is  a  most  beautiful  city, 
and  offers  me  professional  advantages  far  superior  to  all  I  had  ever 
anticipated.  In  one  branch  of  medicine,  die  Augenheilkunde,  Ber- 
lin surpasses  every  other  city  in  the  world.  To  this  branch  I  am 
at  present  devoting  the  most  of  my  time,  though  I  also  visit  the 
clinics  of  internal  diseases  and  those  of  surgery;  but  in  these 
branches  they  are  not  much  ahead  of  us.     .     .     . 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  37 

Berlin,  June  17th,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Stern, 

Say  what  you  will  of  Europe,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  one  can 
enjoy  himself  here.  In  whatever  direction  you  start  out  from  the 
city  you  encounter  places  of  public  amusement,  which  I  know  no 
better  way  of  describing  than  to  ask  you  to  picture  to  yourself 
Paradise  as  described  in  the  Bible  with  the  addition  of  lager- 
beer.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  June  17,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Mose, 

Every  Sunday  afternoon  I  spend  in  the  company  of ^'s 


family,  and  I  enjoy  myself  very  much  with  them.  His  married  sister 
is  a  remarkably  intellectual  lady;  she  is  quite  a  poetess,  and  has  a 
most  amiable  disposition.  Durin,g  the  week,  I  attend  lectures  from 
ten  A.  M.  to  twelve  o'clock,  then  from  2  P.  M.  to  five  o'clock,  and 
twice  a  week  from  5  to  6,  when  I  receive  private  tuition  in  Latin. 
The  rest  of  the  day  I  spend  in  my  room  studying.  Occasionally 
during  the  evenings  I  take  a  walk  with  a  young  friend  of  mine; 
sometimes  I  go  to  some  beer  garden,  sometimes  I  stay  at  home ;  and, 
as  I  find  that  my  correspondence  is  rather  large,  I  think  I  shall  be 
forced  to  do  this  often.     .     .     . 

[Diary,  June  24,  I860.] 
[He  called  upon  some  friends.]  They  proposed  to  visit  two  fe- 
males older  than  most  of  the  old  maids  in  our  country.  If  I  were  in 
their  company,  at  a  loss  for  a  subject  for  conversation,  and  especially 
if  I  wished  to  choose  one  upon  which  .  .  .  they  could  inform 
me,  their  appearance  would  suggest  "  ancient  history."  One  was 
about  forty,  the  other  thirty-five     .     .     .     and  oh  !  how  homely  ! 

Berlin,  July  16,  1860. 
Dear  Father, 

.     .     .     I  feel  very  much  at  home  here  already,  and  I  like  the 


38  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

place  so  well  that  I  shall  probably  spend  the  next  session  here;  it 
commences  October  1. 

"We  had  a  grand  celebration  of  the  Fourth  of  July  at  the  Ameri- 
can minister's;  all  the  Americans  in  Berlin  were  invited,  there  be- 
ing in  all  about  fifty  guests.  It  came  off  in  the  evening.  You  will 
probably  read  an  account  of  it  in  your  papers.  There  was  a  splen- 
did table  set;  the  ladies  were  waited  upon,  while  the  gentlemen,  in 
true  democratic  spirit,  helped  themselves.     .     .     . 

After  about  an  hour's  entertainment  in  the  dining  hall,  we  were 
conducted  to  the  spacious  parlor,  and  then  the  speeches  commenced. 
The  various  states  were  called  upon,  and  those  who  were  present 
to  represent  them  responded.  When  old  Maryland  was  announced, 
all  my  patriotism  was  aroused,  and  I  made  a  regular  Fourth  of  July 
speech,  which  I  had  prepared  for  the  occasion, 

Berlin,  July  16,  1860. 
Liehe  Mutter, 

Ich  hoffe  dass  Du  Dich  wieder  von  Deiner  UnpdssUchJceit  erholt 
hast;  Du  wvrst  gewiss  oft  denTcen,  wie  es  Deinem  Aaronchen  geht, 
nnd  wie  es  ihm  in  der  Fremde  gefdllt.  .  .  .  Wegen  mir  soUst 
Du  ganz  un'besorgt  sein,  denn,  ohschon  ich  Dein  Aaronchen  bin, 
bin  ich  dock  alt  genug,  mich  in  der  Welt  herumzv^chlagen. 

Berlin,  July  16,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Stern, 

I  was  very  happy  to  receive  your  kind  letter,  but  I  am  not  able 
to  write  you  a  great  deal  of  news,  as  for  the  last  two  weeks,  with 
the  exception  of  Sundays,  I  have  been  exclusively  occupied  with 
my  studies.  You  know  my  wants  are  not  very  numerous,  and 
therefore  I  feel  very  comfortable  here.  As  regards  my  studies,  the 
facilities  which  Berlin  offers  far  exceed  anytliing  that  I  could  have 
expected,  and,  if  for  nothing  else,  I  could  not  fail  to  become  at- 
tached to  the  place. 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  39 

Without  having  lost  any  of  my  patriotism,  or  changed  my  notions 
of  republican  government,  I  must  confess  that  I  cannot  find  as  much 
fault  with  the  government  here  as  is  generally  done.  The  manner 
in  which  I  think  we  ought  to  judge  whether  a  government  is  good 
or  not  is  by  what  the  people  who  live  under  it  say.  The  talk  of 
outsiders  can  lead  only  to  prejudiced  opinions.  The  people  here 
enjoy  themselves  and  seem  contented;  and,  as  I  never  hear  them 
complain  of  the  government,  I  must  conclude  that  it  is  a  good  one. 
The  present  Prince  Eegent  is  an  excellent  monarch,  and  he  is 
spoken  of  by  all  with  the  highest  respect.  The  military  here,  I 
think,  cannot  be  surpassed  in  the  whole  world,  and  I  can  well  under- 
stand now  why  the  Prussians  speak  of  their  soldiers  with  so  much 
pride.  I  see  a  good  deal  of  those  who  guard  the  palaces,  and  of 
what  is  regarded  by  those  living  here  as  necessary  to  royal  pomp, 
for  which  I  know  no  better  designation  than  "  monkey  shines." 
Berlin  is  a  beautiful  city,  abounding  in  .  .  .  institutions  for  the 
promotion  of  the  arts  and  sciences.  In  one  thing  I  was  greatly 
disappointed;  I  expected  to  find  the  professors  grey-headed  men. 
Graafe,  the  greatest  oculist  in  the  world,  is  only  thirty-five  years 
old.  Though  I  have  not  confined  myself  exclusively  to  any  par- 
ticular branch  of  medicine,  I  have  paid  most  attention  to  the  dis- 
eases of  the  eye,  surgery,  and  microscopy.  To  the  latter  branch, 
which  is  a  very  important  one,  there  is  no  one  in  Baltimore  who 
has  given  much  attention. 

Berlin,  July  22,  1860. 
Dear  Father, 

I  have  till  now  devoted  the  most  of  my  time  to  the  study,  under 
the  renowned  Professor  Grsefe,  of  AugerbheilTcunde,  in  which  branch 
America  is  behindhand  more  than  in  any  other.  I  attend  the  medi- 
cal and  surgical  hospitals  every  day,  so  that  I  may  be  posted  on  all 
branches  of  the  profession.  ...  I  continue  to  prosecute  my 
studies  with  a  good  deal  of  zeal,  and  have  no  doubt  that,  if  I  con- 
4 


40  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

tinue  to  enjoy  good  health,  my  sojourn  in  Europe  will  be  very 
profitable  to  me.     .     .     . 

I  intend  to  go  to  Paris  at  the  close  of  the  session,  in  March ;  and, 
as  lectures  do  not  commence  there  before  May,  I  shall  have  two 
months  to  practise  French,  which  will  be  very  advantageous  to  me. 
So,  with  the  lessons  in  conversation  which  I  shall  take  here  next 
winter,  I  think  I  shall  be  pretty  well  prepared  to  enter  upon  my 
studies  in  France.  I  have  not  taken  any  lessons  in  French  here 
yet,  but  I  read  a  good  deal.  My  time  has  been  too  much  taken  up 
with  my  other  studies.     ,     .     , 

Berlin,  July  23,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Moses, 

Your  letter,  dated  July  3rd,  1860,  was  handed  to  me  a  few  hours 
ago;  I  think  it  unnecessary  to  say  how  glad  I  was  to  hear  from 
you,  for,  judging  by  your  own  feelings,  you  can  imagine  it  far  bet- 
ter. You  must  excuse  me  for  not  writing  as  often  as  you  would 
wish,  for  the  family  is  so  large  that  to  write  to  each  of  its  members 
separately  consumes  more  time  than  you  perhaps  imagine.  It  is 
now  eleven  o'clock  P.  M.,  and,  to  get  through  with  all  the  writing 
I  have  to  do,  I  shall  be  compelled  to  encroach  a  good  deal  upon  the 
night;  and  I  have  a  lecture  to  attend  at  seven  o'clock  tomorrow 
morning.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  July  23,  1860. 
Dear  Brother, 

.  .  .  Pretty  women  are  about  as  scarce  here  as  sensible  ones 
are  in  Baltimore.     .     .     . 

You  ask  me  to  give  you  a  description  of  Berlin  and  its  people. 
Dear  Mose,  I  can  now  appreciate  how  difficult  it  must  be  to  describe 
a  place,  especially  one  of  the  character  of  Berlin.  Oh,  how  I  should 
wish  to  have  the  descriptive  faculty  of  Walter  Scott!  But,  not 
having  it,  and  not  having  time  to  give  full  scope  to  it  if  I  did  have 
it,  I  must  content  myself  with  an  outline  description,  leaving  it  to 


&a 


MOSES    FRIEDENWALD 
i860 


QjAwnaaami  8380m 


irum 
I-  bet- 


Berlin  and  its  people, 
scribe 
!iould 
,  not 

.  leaving  it  to 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  41 

your  lively  imagination  to  fill  it  out.  It  is  a  large  city  of  over  five 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants,  with  fine  streets ;  the  business  places 
and  private  dwellings  are  not  so  handsome  as  in  New  York.  The 
public  institutions  are  numerous  and  magnificent;  the  collections 
of  science  and  art  would  alone  repay  one  for  a  trip  across  the  At- 
lantic. Every  other  person  you  meet  wears  a  uniform.  The  mili- 
tary are  as  fine  as  Prussian  Americans  claim  they  are;  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  intelligence  among  the  people;  the  men  I  think  a 
little  conceited ;  the  women,  homely.  The  city  abounds  in  places  of 
amusement  of  various  kinds,  which  are  well  encouraged.  Every 
one  here  is  bound  to  enjoy  himself.  You  would  like  to  know  in 
what  a  European  city  differs  from  an  American  one.  A  city  here 
has  many  fine  parks,  ornamented  by  the  most  beautiful  statuary; 
besides,  it  is  surrounded  by  such  fine  scenery  and  so  many  places  of 
public  amusement  that  upon  Sundays  and  holidays  the  city  is  nearly 
empty.  What  I  have  seen  until  now  forces  me  to  conclude  that  Ger- 
many is  the  repository  of  science  and  art. 

Some  weeks  ago  I  visited  a  Masonic  lodge  and  was  present  at  an 
initiation.  I  shall  have  a  good  deal  to  say  to  you  about  this  when 
I  return,  but  till  then  "  mum  is  the  word." 

.  .  .  I  read  your  remxarks  upon  politics  with  a  great  deal  of 
interest;  I  deeply  deplore  the  split  in  the  Democratic  party,  for  I 
think  it  makes  Lincoln's  election  as  good  as  certain. 

Darmstadt,  August  9,  1860. 
Dear  Parents  and  Eelations, 

I  have  been  absent  from  Berlin  since  the  first  of  August;  have 
visited.  Dresden,  Leipsic,  Niirnberg,  Fiirth,  Munich,  Ulm,  Stutt- 
gart, and  Heidelberg;  and,  after  scrambling  over  the  hills  of  the 
latter,  some  of  which  are  eighteen  hundred  feet  high,  I  feel  too  tired 
to  describe  my  highly  interesting  journey  in  the  way  that  I  should 
wish  to.    I  have  been  in  a  continual  ecstasy  for  the  last  nine  days, 


42  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

and  feel  that  I  could  never  forgive  myself  had  I  not  seen  some  of 
the  wonders  of  Germany,  and  made  myself  acquainted  to  some  ex- 
tent with  the  noble  character  of  its  people.  I  have  interchanged 
ideas  with  the  intelligent  Prussian,  heard  the  melodious  talk  of  the 
charming  Saxon,  drunk  beer  with  the  jolly  Bavarian,  grasped  by 
the  hand  the  honest,  though  much  abused  Schwab,  and  enjoyed  a 
chat  with  the  clever  Badenser,  and  after  ejaculating  repeatedly 
"  What  a  people  and  what  a  country !  "  I  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  there  are  more  honest  people  in  the  world  than  my  pre- 
vious experience  had  taught  me  to  think  there  were.     .     .     . 

I  have  been  enjoying  excellent  health,  and  hope,  very  anxiously 
hope,  to  hear  the  same  from  you.  The  only  thing  that  troubles  me 
is  mother's  health;  I  feel  very  much  concerned  about  her,  as  you 
seem  not  to  write  very  explicitly  concerning  her  condition.  Please 
do  not  leave  me  in  a  painful  ignorance  or,  what  is  worse,  an  awful 
conjecture. 

I  shall  be  with  our  folks  on  this  side  of  the  ocean  in  a  day  or  two, 
and  shall  spend  some  time  with  them.  I  have  loafed  enough,  and 
I  am  goin^g  to  work  again  in  good  earnest.     .     .     . 

The  traveler  next  passed  through  Giessen  to  Bobenhausen,  his 
mother's  birthplace,  where  he  met  a  number  of  relatives ;  they  were 
overjoyed  at  his  visit,  and  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  vacation 
with  them. 

Bobenhausen,  September  9,  1860. 
Deae  Brother  Mose, 

.  .  .  You  were  quite  right  in  supposing  that,  though  there 
is  in  Europe  much  to  please  the  eye  which  we  cannot  boast  of,  yet 
in  the  aggregate  we  are  far  better  off,  and  you  err  greatly  when  you 
think  that  the  sights  in  Germany  will  so  dazzle  me  as  to  render  me 
unable  to  appreciate  the  advantages  which  we  Americans  enjoy 
under  our  republican  form  of  government.     It  is  only  by  foreign 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  43 

travel  that  we  can  properly  estimate  how  much  happier  we  are, 
imder  a  government  based  upon  the  principles  of  equality,  civil  and 
religious  liberty,  etc.,  than  those  are  who  are  forced  to  recognize  in 
another  their  superior,  because  he  is  the  offspring  of  a  rotten 
.  .  .  system  called  here  the  nobility,  and  those  who  live  where 
it  is  decided  whether  one  is  eligible  to  certain  positions  or  not,  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  gods  he  puts  his  trust  in.  Though  I  must 
bear  testimony  to  the  many  improvements  that  the  governments  of 
Europe  have  been  forced  to  introduce,  yet  there  is  much  left  undone. 
As  regards  the  scattered  tribe  of  Israel  here,  their  burden  has 
been  somewhat  lightened.  There  are  many  positions  which  their 
faith  excludes  them  from,  and  this  is  a  fruitful  source  of  conver- 
sions. I  have  inquired  as  to  what  their  complaints  are  in  this  hilly 
and  stony  region,  and  I  find  that  their  position  is  not  an  enviable 
one.  There  are  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  this  place  vil- 
lages in  which  Israelites  are  not  permitted  to  live.  The  Jews  also 
have  to  contribute  to  the  liquidation  of  the  church  debt.  Starker 
Tahak,  niclit  wahr?  In  other  respects  they  are  exposed  to  fewer 
abuses  than  we  mi,ght  be  led  to  suppose.  I  have  travelled  a  good 
deal  through  Germany,  but  have  not  heard  the  word  "  Hep  "  used. 
I  have  made  a  good  many  inquiries,  and  am  told  that  the  "  Ri- 
shuth  "  of  which  we  have  heard  so  much  is  fast  becoming  extinct. 
Even  in  Bayern  our  co-religionists  delight  to  speak  of  the  rapid 
emancipation  which  is  going  on  there.  In  Austria  I  have  not  been, 
and  there  their  lot  is  still  deplorable.  I  have  been  thus  explicit  in 
my  description  of  affairs  here  in  order  to  show  you  that,  while  I 
can  admire  the  beautiful  things  of  the  old  world,  my  antipathy 
against  political  oppression,  and  particularly  that  which  is  directed 
against  the  members  of  our  faith,  has  not  in  the  least  subsided. 

BOBENHAUSEN,  September  9,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Joe, 

Yours  dated  August  22  was  received  with  great  gratification. 


44  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

You  do  not  wish  it  to  be  considered  an  answer  to  mine;  I  shall 
therefore  consider  it  sufficient  to  comply  with  your  request  to 
send  you  a  copy  of  my  Fourth  of  July  speech  at  Berlin.  You 
must  take  into  consideration  that  it  was  composed  at  a  time  when 
I  was  so  occupied  with  my  studies  that  there  was  but  little  oppor- 
tunity left  me  for  that  reflection  which  a  good  speech  requires.  All 
the  time  that  I  could  afford  to  devote  to  its  composition  was  two 
hours  in  the  afternoon  of  the  Fourth,  and  I  committed  it  to  memory 
while  dressing.  Had  it  not  been  that  I  knew  that  the  folks  at  home 
desired  it,  I  would  not  have  spared  that  time. 

Mr.  Minister,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen, 

It  was  a  son  of  Maryland  who  first  sang  so  beautifully  of  the 
Star-spangled  Banner,  and  she  will  be  the  last  to  erase  from  it  the 
star  which  represents  her  devotion  to  the  Union. 

I  am  happy  to  meet  you  here  this  evening  and  to  join  in  the  cele- 
bration of  an  event  to  which  not  only  is  the  happiness  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  ascribable,  but  which  has  also  exerted  a  mighty  influence 
for  the  advancement  of  mankind  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 
Have  we  not  just  cause  to  be  proud  in  pointing  to  the  position  that 
the  United  States  has  assimied  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  as 
proving  the  practicability  of  those  sacred  principles  set  forth  in  the 
Declaration  of  Independence?  Not  yet  have  all  of  those  passed 
away  who  gazed  with  troubled  emotions  on  that  cloud  of  adversity 
which  hung  over  the  colonies,  who  felt  the  galling  effect  of  that  op- 
pression to  which  they  were  then  subjected,  and  who  heard  the  dread- 
ful clanking  of  the  chains  which  were  then  being  forged  to  fetter 
them  still  further ;  and  a  country  which  was  forced  to  contend  against 
innumerable  influences  that  were  calculated  to  stunt  its  growth  and 
render  gloomy  its  future,  a  country  which  was  bereft  of  every  hope, 
except  that  which  it  could  place  in  the  patriotism  of  its  sons,  has, 
by  establishing  those  sacred  principles,  reached  a  position  securing 
the  happiness  of  its  citizens,  and  expressing  a  national  greatness 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  45 

commanding  the  respect  of  the  world.  The  scoffs  and  sneers  which 
were  directed  against  the  struggles  of  the  sage  heads  and  brave 
hearts  of  '76  have  long  since  ceased,  .  .  .  except  where  they 
reflect  their  own  insignificance;  and  while  anthems  of  gratitude 
are  now  ascending  to  heaven  from  every  portion  of  the  Union,  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  for  the  blessings  accruing  therefrom,  a 
prayer  of  the  true  lovers  of  humanity  everywhere  for  their  continu- 
ance is  mingled  therewith.  When  we  contemplate  the  greatness 
which  the  Union  has  attained,  despite  the  many  difficulties  against 
which  it  was  forced  to  contend  in  its  organization  and  since  then, 
must  we  not  be  convinced  that  the  principles  of  truth  and  justice 
"upon  which  it  was  reared  have  elicited  the  protection  of  Divine 
Providence,  and  that  its  stability  is  unquestionable?  Let  this  be  a 
•consolation  to  those  who,  from  an  intensity  of  enthusiasm,  imagine 
danger  to  the  Union,  and  let  it  teach  the  world  that  the  tendency 
of  American  statesmanship  must  still  be  onward,  onward ! 

September  9,  1860. 
Deae  Niece  Lina, 

For  the  present  I  shall  not  preach  to  you,  for  I  imagine  you  to 
be  too  good  a  girl  to  require  it;  but,  if  you  should  find  that  my 
sermons  are  of  any  assistance  to  you  in  repelling  those  foolish  no- 
tions to  which  many  of  our  young  ladies  fall  a  prey,  you  can  have 
them  at  short  notice.  Though  I  am  always  pleased  to  receive  your 
letters,  and  under  all  circumstances  find  them  interesting,  permit 
me  to  lay  down  several  principles  to  guide  you  in  their  composition. 

First,  under  all  circumstances  let  them  be  grammatically  correct ; 
for,  while  a  little  slang  in  conversation  is  often  pardoned,  when  per- 
petrated in  the  august  presence  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper,  and  by  those 
from  whom  better  can  well  be  expected,  it  becomes  a  target  for  the 
most  painful  ridicule. 

Secondly,  in  the  construction  of  your  sentences  strive  to  bestow 


46  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

upon  them  that  polish  which  is  expressive  of  education  and  refine- 
ment. In  our  age  of  civilization,  language  has  ceased  to  be  merely 
a  series  of  articulations  by  which  persons  may  imderstand  each 
other,  but  has  also  become  an  index  to  one's  intellectual  resources. 
Thirdly,  do  not  tolerate  the  old-fashioned  idea  that  letters  must 
necessarily  be  news-mongers;  regard  them  more  as  vehicles  of 
thought.  In  times  gone  by,  in  order  to  prevent  any  company  that 
was  assembled  from  falling  asleep,  when  there  was  no  unusual  oc- 
currence to  relate,  hobgoblin  stories  were  abundantly  invented. 
Now,  when  people  think  more,  it  has  not  been  found  impossible  to 
hold  a  conversation,  even  if  one's  neighbor  has  not  broken  a  leg; 
and  grandma  can  continue  her  knitting  without  being  frightened 
as  she  formerly  was  by  having  her  attention  drawn  to  haunted 
spots.  As  letters  are  nothing  but  the  means  of  holding  a  conversa- 
tion at  a  distance,  they  have  undergone  a  similar  change.     .     .     . 

BoBENHAUSEN,  September  9,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Stern, 

Besides  the  ladies  there  is  much  else  here  which  I  do  not  think 
as  beautiful  as  in  America.  I  have  acquainted  myself  a  little  with 
affairs  in  the  interior  of  Germany,  and  find  that  they  present  a  great 
contrast  to  what  I  have  seen  in  the  cities.  While  the  cities  are  re- 
positories of  science  and  art  and  everything  has  a  refined  tone,  in 
the  country,  and  especially  about  here,  ignorance  and  poverty 
abound  to  an  enormous  extent.  There  is  little  done  for  education 
outside  of  the  cities.  The  government  thinks  that  those  subjects 
'.vho  know  the  least  are  the  easiest  to  govern,  and  therefore  it  makes 
knowledge  as  difficult  to  acquire  as  possible.  They  talk  a  great 
deal  about  making  children  go  to  school  seven  and  eight  years ;  let 
me  explain  this  to  you.  Children  have  but  from  one  to  two,  and,. 
when  further  advanced,  three  hours'  school  a  day;  and  this  under 
persons  who  are  half  teachers  and  half  farmers.     They  are  taught 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  47 

to  read  and  write  and  cipher  a  little,  and  that  is  all.  Whether  this 
is  the  case  in  all  the  provinces  of  Germany  I  do  not  know,  but  so 
it  is  in  Hesse-Darmstadt. 

People  lead  a  wretched  sort  of  life  here;  even  those  who  can  af- 
ford it  seldom  eat  meat.  The  Jews,  who  live  far  better  than  the 
Christians,  have  meat  but  once  a  week.  I  have  often  heard  it  stated 
that,  despite  all  this,  people  are  healthier  than  with  us;  this  is  not 
so.  Our  country  people  look  far  better  than  people  do  about 
here.     .     .     . 

BoBENHAUSEN,  September  10,  1860. 
Liehe  Mutter^ 

Ich  hoffe,  wenn  dieses  Dich  antreffen  wird,  doss  Du  von  den 
Klauen  der  schmerzhaften  und  langdauernden  Krankheit  welche 
Du  dulden  musstcst,  hefreit  sein  wirst.  In  heinem  Falle  lasse  den 
Muth  sinhen;  set  guter  Hoffnung.  .  .  .  Schon  oft  war  eine 
dunMe  Wolke  iiher  Dir  ausgedehnt,  und  dock  wurdest  Du  aus  der 
Gefahr,  die  Dir  droMe,  gerettet.  Nach  dem  Regen  scheint  die 
Sonne;  mogen  ihre  Strahlen  Dir  bald  Heil  und  Segen  Iringen,  und 
zeigen  dass  Sx'tty  "lom  jB''"'  nSi  Dir  ^h ,  "  es  schldft  und  scMum- 
mert  nicht  der  Hitter  Israels."     .     .     . 

On  September  29  my  father  left  Bobenhausen  for  Frankfort. 
Here  he  spent  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  visiting  the  synagogue  of 
the  distinguished  rabbi,  Samson  Eaphael  Hirsch. 

[Diary,  October  1,  I860.] 
"  I  was  very  anxious  to  hear  Dr.  Hirsch,  about  whom  I  had 
heard  so  much.  I  was  not  disappointed.  The  subject  of  his  discus- 
sion was  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  and  so  beautifully  were  the  pur- 
poses of  the  various  ceremonies  explained  that  I  felt  very  sorry  for 
evejy  time  I  had  forgotten  to  "  bless  the  lulah." 

On  October  3  he  left  for  Mayence  and  Cologne,  returning  to 
Berlin  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth  of  October. 


48  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

The  courses  for  which  he  was  enrolled  during  the  following 
semester  were:  Demonsirations-Cursus  def  pathologischen  Anato- 
mie,  Virchow;  Ueber  Krankhafte  Geschwulste,  Virchow;  Ueber 
allgemeine  Pathologie  und  Therapie,  Virchow;  Ueher  Augenkrank- 
heiten,  von  Grgefe;  Klinih  fur  Augenkranke,  von  Gra3fe;  Cursus  der 
Augenoperationen,  von  Graefe;  Ueher  Kinderkrankheiten,  Martin; 
Ueber  Syphilidologie,  S.  Barensprung. 

[Diary,  October  15,  I860.] 
"  This  being  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  University,  there  are 
a  great  many  preparations  to  celebrate  the  event.  This  morning 
the  Festzug  takes  place.  The  professors  in  their  gowns  and  red 
caps  head  the  procession,  followed  by  guests  from  abroad  and  then 
by  the  students,  with  the  banners,  dress,  and  colors  of  their  Verhind- 
ungen."     .     .     . 

"  This  evening  there  is  a  great  torchlight  procession  in  celebra- 
tion of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  university.  I  participate, 
and  take  part  in  the  Commers." 

Berlin,  October  19,  1860. 
Liehe  Mutter, 

Nach  langer  und  grosser  Yerlegenheit  hdbe  ich  die  freudige 
Nachricht  erhalten,  doss  Du  Dich  jetzt  viel  hesser  hefindest.  Wie 
glucklich  mich  dieses  gemacht  hat!  Gott  sei  dafiir  gedankt.  Moge 
er  Dich  bald  von  dieser  grausamen  Krankheit  ganz  befreit 
hah  en.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  November  2,  1860. 
Dear  Father, 

.  .  .  I  am  not  able  to  write  you  much,  as  I  have  not  paid  at- 
tention to  anything  but  my  studies  since  the  session  commenced. 
I  am  at  lectures  and  clinics  from  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  to 
five,  six,  and  sometimes  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening;  and  at  night 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  49 

I  am  in  my  room  to  digest  what  I  have  seen  and  heard  during  the 
day/  So  all  that  I  could  write  you  about  Berlin  would  be  the 
dreadful  tale  of  the  sick,  the  dying,  and  the  dead,  a  subject  which 
I  do  not  think  can  interest  you.  .  .  .  Eest  assured,  dear  father, 
that  I  fully  appreciate  the  importance  of  the  mission  which  induced 
me  to  leave  my  home,  my  country,  and  my  friends,  and  that  I  shall 
spare  no  effort  to  make  my  absence  profitable  to  myself  and  satis- 
factory to  my  friends.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  December  4,  1860. 
Dear  Father, 

In  a  few  days  it  will  be  Chanuklcah,  though  I  do  not  expect  to  see 
anything  here  to  remind  me  of  it,  as  the  only  holiday  which  those 
of  our  coreligionists  with  whom  I  am  acquainted  here  celebrate  in 
the  family  circle  with  any  zeal  is  Christmas.  This  is  the  great 
progress  which  those  who  claim  to  be  the  most  enlightened  have 
made.  They  free  themselves  from  the  ceremonials  of  our  religion, 
and  embrace  similar  ceremonials  of  another.  They  ridicule  ortho- 
doxy for  seeking  to  commemorate  a  great  epoch  in  the  history  of 
the  Jewish  nation  through  the  burning  of  Chanukkah  lights,  but 
imitate  the  Christians  in  having  Christmas  bushes,  hung  with  lights, 
etc.,  thus  insulting  the  memory  of  their  forefathers  by  regarding  as 
a  festival  a  day  which  initiated  for  them  centuries  of  oppression.  I 
do  not  wish  to  affect  piety,  but  when  I  see  that  the  tendency  of  en- 
lightened Judaism  here,  instead  of  ridding  itself  of  what  may 
really  not  be  compatible  with  the  age  we  live  in,  is  rather  a  gradual 
sneaking  into  Christianity,  the  old  forms  of  our  religion  have  an 
especial  charm.  Dear  Father,  you  entertained  great  fears  on  my 
departure  that  I  would  entirely  forget  our  religion,  but  rest  assured 

i*A  large  mass  of  neatly-written  notes  in  my  possession  give  evidence 
of  the  care  with  which  he  recorded  at  the  end  of  each  day  what  he 
had  heard  and  seen. 


50  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

that  what  I  have  seen  of  "  enlightened  Judaism  "  here  has  disclosed 
our  old,  assailed,  insulted  orthodoxy  in  a  more  beautiful  form  than 
I  had  yet  beheld  it.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  December  4,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  Joe, 

.  .  .  The  people  here  are  courteous  to  strangers,  and  know 
how  to  entertain  them.  In  one  thing  the  German  differs  greatly 
from  the  American;  he  knows  how  to  enjoy  himself.  I  attend  the 
soirees  of  the  American  minister  here,  and  was  present  at  the  re- 
cent Thanksgiving  celebration,  but  I  find  American  society  so  dry 
that  I  greatly  prefer  the  society  of  my  German  friends,  I  hesitate 
not  to  say  that  the  Germans  have  as  many  advantages  over  us  so- 
cially as  we  have  over  them  politically.     .     .     . 

[Diary,  December  21,  I860.] 
I  purchased  two  books.  Dr.  Grgefe's  Klinische  Analyse  and  Vir- 
chow's  Cellular-Pathologie,  which  I  propose  to  study  through  during 
the  holidays. 

The  weather  is  very  cold  and  the  heating  is  inadequate  to  render 
me  comfortable  in  my  chamber.  Though  I  have  had  my  room 
heated  as  well  as  this  can  be  done  by  my  Wirthin  and  her  porcelain 
stove,  my  fingers  are  stiff  as  I  write  this.  I  study  in  my  rooms  with 
two  coats  on. 

Berlin,  December  31,  1860. 
Liehe  Mutter^ 

.  .  .  Du  wirst  oft,  ohne  Zweifel,  an  Deincn  Sohne,  der  so 
weit  uber  den  Ocean  von  Dir  entfernt  ist,  denJcen,  und  wunschen, 
mit  ihm  einige  GedanJcen  zu  wechseln.  Nicht  minder,  glaube  es, 
sind  seine  GedanTcen  mit  Dir  heschdftigt.  Denn  sei  der  Reiz  der 
Fremde  noch  so  gross,  .  .  .  so  findet  man  dock  nirgends  die 
zdrtliche  und  liehevoUe  Mutter.  Wie  oft  wunsche  ich,  ein  Jcleines 
Stiindclien  in  Deiner  Gegen/wart  zu  verweilen.    Und  wenn  wir  audi 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  51 

den  Schmerz  der  Trennung  fiihlen  mussen,  so  hleiht  uns  dock 
die  Freude  der  Hoffnung  ubrig,  uns  ivieder  gliicklich  anzutref- 
fen.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  January  21,  1860. 
Dear  Father, 

.  .  .  I  have  paid  most  attention  lately  to  the  diseases  of  the 
eye,  as  it  is  in  this  branch  particularly  that  we  are  behind  hand  in 
America.  A  great  many  who,  with  us,  are  condemned  by  physicians 
to  perpetual  blindness  are  here  .  .  .  restored  to  sight.  .  .  . 
I  feel  myself  particularly  fortunate  in  being  able  to  enjoy  the  in- 
struction of  Professor  von  Grsefe,  who  is  now  without  doubt  the 
greatest  oculist  in  the  world.  I  attend  all  of  his  lectures,  clinics, 
and  operations,  and  learn  to  perform  all  the  operations  on  the  eye 
under  him.  We  practice  a  good  deal  in  this  way  on  the  dead. 
Though  I  have  taken  a  particular  fancy  to  this  part  of  the  science, 
I  visit  the  other  hospitals  as  much  as  I  can,  and  I  devote  myself 
particularly  to  those  things  which  we  have  no  good  opportunity  of 
studying  at  home,  as,  for  instance,  midwifery  and  the  diseases  of 
women  and  children.  I  shall  remain  here  till  the  middle  of  March 
or  the  first  of  April,  and  then  I  shall  repair  to  Paris.  The  session 
will  probably  commence  there  about  the  first  of  May.  I  shall  prob- 
ably like  Paris  very  well,  as  I  can  now  get  along  very  well  in  the 
French  language.  I  have  studied  it  a  good  deal  during  my  sojourn 
here,  and  have  a  good  deal  of  opportunity  to  speak  it  and  to  hear  it 
spoken.  I  meet  physicians  here  from  nearly  every  part  of  the  world, 
who  come  to  enjoy  the  great  advantages  which  Berlin  offers.  I  meet 
Americans,  Eussians,  Poles,  Frenchmen,  Hollanders,  Greeks,  Eng- 
lishmen, etc.  I  feel  very  contented  here,  as  I  am  every  day  more 
and  more  convinced  of  the  great  professional  advantages  which  my 
visit  to  Europe  gives  me.     .     .     . 

You  may  imagine  how  anxious  we  all  feel  here  about  the  present 
distracted  state  of  politics  in  America.    Whenever  there  is  an  ar- 


52  Aaroist  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

rival  of  a  steamer  announced,  all  the  Americans  here  hurry  to  the 
minister  for  the  news.  Every  fresh  report,  till  now,  has  been  the 
harbinger  of  greater  evils.  I  have  given  up  all  hope  of  a  peaceable 
settlement  of  the  gi'eat  trouble. 

While  you  are  in  the  midst  of  political  commotion  across  the 
water,  things  are  far  from  presenting  a  peaceable  aspect  here.  You 
probably  have  heard  that,  on  the  first  instant,  the  King  of  Prussia 
departed  this  life,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  who  is  now 
King  Wilhelm  I.  This  event  has  caused  but  few  tears  to  flow;  and, 
had  not  all  public  places  of  amusement  been  closed  for  three  weeks, 
the  Prussians  would  have  had  nothing  to  complain  of.  The  present 
king  is  very  popular.  He  has  annoimced  his  opposition  to  the 
policy  of  Denmark  in  Holstein,  which  will  probably  lead  to  war; 
and,  as  Napoleon  has  allied  himself  with  Denmark,  the  situation 
will  no  doubt  assume  a  serious  character.  Besides  this  it  is  expected 
that  Italy  will  again,  next  spring,  form  the  scene  of  human  slaugh- 
ter. Hungary  is  in  a  very  rebellious  condition  at  present,  and,  un- 
less Austria  relents  in  her  tyranny,  she  may  be  forced  to  part  with 
another  piece  of  territory.  If  folks  could  appreciate  the  danger  of 
so  many  governments  adjoining  each  other,  I  have  no  hesitation 
in  saying  that  there  would  be  but  few  who  would  favor  a  severance 
of  our  Union.  They  would  be  inclined  rather  "  to  bear  the  ills  we 
have,  than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of." 

There  is  a  great  contrast  presented  between  politics  here  and  in 
America.  While  there  is  a  tendency  to  form  a  United  Germany,  as 
folks  here  have  long  convinced  themselves  that  only  in  union  is 
there  strength,  Americans  are  willing  to  destroy  the  Union  and  with 
it  the  greatest  guarantee  of  their  future  prosperity.  I  just  feel  like 
making  a  few  stump  speeches  in  the  "  States,"  not  that  I  flatter 
myself  that  I  could  dissuade  secessionists  from  their  design,  but 
that  I  might  tell  them  what  great  fools  they  are.  Though  I  have 
met  Americans  here  from  every  portion  of  the  Union,  I  have  not 
met  one  who  is  in  favor  of  secession.     .     .     . 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  53 

The  attitude  taken  in  this  letter  is  the  more  significant,  inas- 
much as  he  "  confesses,"  in  a  letter  written  at  this  same  period,  that 
his  feelings  were  "  strongly  antagonistic  to  the  North." 

The  following  extract  is  taken  from  the  "  Maryland  and  Virginia 
Medical  Journal,"  Volume  XVI.  (January-May,  1861),  p.  348, 
under  the  heading  of  "  Foreign  Correspondence." 

"We  take  pleasure  in  announcing  to  our  readers  that  we  have 
made  arrangements  with  a  competent  medical  gentleman,  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  University  of  Maryland,  to  furnish  us  with  a  series  of 
letters  from  the  principal  medical  centers  of  Europe.  The  first  of 
the  number,  a  letter  from  Berlin,  we  give  below. — Editors." 

Berlin,  January  24,  1861. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — In  conformity  with  your  request,  I  shall  now 
communicate  to  you  some  of  my  observations  in  the  medical  sphere 
of  Berlin.  I  have  been  here  during  the  greater  part  of  two  sessions 
of  the  University,  and,  having  availed  myself  of  the  superior  clinical 
facilities  which  this  place  affords,  in  the  various  branches  of  the 
profession,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  I  shall  be  able  to  furnish  you 
with  some  interesting  facts. 

I  have  foimd  that  the  medical  luminaries  here  are  zealously  de- 
voted to  the  cultivation  of  the  science,  on  the  basis  which  distin- 
guishes medicine  of  the  present  day  from  that  of  former  times.  In 
regarding  nothing  as  reliable  which  does  not  emanate  from  ample 
observation,  scientific  research,  and  rational  deductions,  they  have 
been  able  to  free  [medicine]  from  many  of  the  false  notions  which 
had  gained  a  stronghold  by  tradition,  and  to  contribute  a  great  deal 
of  valuable  material  to  its  reconstruction. 

There  are  three  hospitals  connected  with  the  University  of  Ber- 
lin— the  Charite  (to  which  add  the  famous  Pathological  Institute), 
iJie'Kdnigliche  Klinik  der  Urdversitdt,  and  the  Obstetric  Hospital. 
I  need  only  announce  the  names  of  Virchow,  Graefe,  Frerichs, 


54  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Traube,  Langenbeck,  Jiingken,  Baerensprung,  and  Martin,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  institutions  I  have  named,  to  convey  to  you  an  idea 
of  their  character.  The  Charite  is  a  large  and  magnificent  edifice, 
in  which  the  following  clinical  lectures  take  place  daily : — two  medi- 
cal clinics,  the  one  by  Frerichs,  the  other  by  Traube;  a  surgical 
clinic  by  Jiingken;  a  clinic  for  venereal  diseases  and  diseases  of 
the  skin  by  Baerensprung;  a  gynecological  clinic  by  Martin;  and  a 
clinic  for  diseases  of  children  by  Ebert.  Langenbeck  conducts  a 
surgical  clinic  at  the  Kdnigliche  KUnik  der  Universitdt,  and  Eom- 
berg  has  a  clinic  on  the  diseases  of  the  nervous  system  in  the  same 
institution.  Martin  delivers  clinical  lectures  at  the  Obstetric  Hos- 
pital three  times  a  week. 

I  think  I  will  best  meet  the  object  of  this  correspondence  by 
writing  what  I  think  may  interest  you  in  relation  to  the  names  I 
have  mentioned.  I  shall  begin  with  Dr.  Albrecht  von  Grsefe,  Ex- 
traordinary Professor  in  the  University.  He  has  for  many  years 
diligently  applied  his  genius  to  the  study  of  ophthalmology,  and 
has  thereby  contributed  much  to  the  progress  which  this  branch  of 
science  has  made.  Among  the  many  great  merits  which  may  be 
claimed  by  him,  the  one  standing  paramount  is  his  satisfactory  de- 
scription of  glaucoma,  the  explanation  of  its  symptoms,  and  what 
is  more  than  all,  the  treatment  which  he  has  proposed  for  it,  and 
successfully  practiced.  He  has  proven  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  phe- 
nomena which  this  affection  produces,  depend  on  a  preternatural 
intra-ocular  pressure.  He  has  called  attention  to  the  tense  condi- 
tion of  the  globe  of  the  eye  in  support  of  this  view,  and  has  demon- 
strated with  the  ophthalmoscope  the  pulsation  of  the  arteries  of  the 
retina,  which  never  becomes  sensible  to  sight  under  any  other 
condition. 

As  Grsefe's  highly  valuable  contributions  on  this  subject  have,  as 
I  believe,  not  yet  appeared  in  English  literature,  you  will,  perhaps, 
indulge  a  few  sketches  from  my  notes  in  connection  therewith. 


Student  Days  in  Berlin.  55 

[Here  follows  a  full  description  of  the  different  forms  of  glau- 
coma, and  of  the  nature  and  treatment  of  the  disease,  in  the  course 
of  which  my  father  says]  : 

Having  noticed  that  excision  of  a  piece  of  the  iris,  in  pursuing 
other  indications,  greatly  reduced  intraocular  pressure,  he  tested 
its  efficiency  in  glaucoma  and  found  it  fraught  with  the  happiest 
results.* 

Grsefe  has  under  his  charge  a  fine  hospital,  the  Augen^Klinik, 
devoted  to  the  diseases  of  the  eye  exclusively.  Here  he  delivers 
clinical  lectures  three  times  a  week,  each  lasting  two  hours ;  in  addi- 
tion to  this,  he  also  delivers  theoretical  lectures  on  the  diseases  of 
the  eye.  He  also  conducts  a  practical  course  of  operative  ocular 
surgery,  in  which,  supplying  his  pupils  with  phantoms,  eyes,  rabbits, 
and  subjects,  he  offers  them  every  facility  to  qualify  themselves  in 
this  branch.  His  assistants,  Drs.  Leibreich  and  Schweigger  re- 
spectively, teach  the  application  of  the  ophthalmoscope,  and  the 
normal  and  pathological  anatomy  of  the  eye. 

Graefe  is  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  devotes  himself  entirely  to  the 
interests  of  the  science.     .     .     . 

My  father  wrote  for  this  Journal  two  other  letters,  which  were 
not  published,  owin^  to  the  suspension  of  its  publication  at  the  out- 
hreak  of  the  Civil  War.  In  one  of  these  letters,  written  from  Ber- 
lin, he  says: 

"  One  of  the  principal  objects  which  attract  medical  men  here 

^  My  father  recognized  the  importance  of  Graefe's  discovery,  which 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  advances  in  surgery  made  during  the 
nineteenth  century,  although  such  medical  lights  as  Wharton  Jones 
and  William  Mackenzie  found  "  little  in  it  worthy  of  imitation " 
(1853).  Graefe  had  announced  his  discovery  in  1857,  and  an  English 
translation  of  his  memoirs  was  published  by  the  New  Sydenham  So- 
ciety in  1859.  A  few  articles  on  iridectomy  were  published  in  Great 
Britain  before  1861,  but  the  first  mention  of  Graefe's  discovery  which 
I  can  find  in  American  medical  literature  is  that  made  in  my  father's 
a,rticle.  Active  discussion  of  the  subject  in  America  began  in  1863. 
5 


56  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

from  abroad,  is  to  pursue  the  study  of  Pathology.  There  is  proba- 
bly no  other  place  where  this  branch  is  cultivated  so  successfully, 
and  where  its  study  is  facilitated  by  so  many  advantages.  This  is 
attributable  to  the  merits  of  Professor  Rudolf  Virchow.  I  am  per- 
suaded that  a  few  words  with  reference  to  this  great  man  will  not 
be  uninteresting  to  the  readers  of  your  valuable  journal.  I  am  not 
so  bold  as  to  attempt  to  pass  an  encomium  on  his  genius ;  the  efful- 
gence in  which  this  is  reflected  from  his  many  contributions  to 
science  would  render  the  praise  of  even  the  most  accomplished  pen 
superfluous.  There  is  one  trait  of  his  character,  however,  to  which 
I  may  be  permitted  to  refer.  I  allude  to  his  indefatigable  industry. 
Even  those  who  are  perfectly  familiar  with  his  many  works,  and 
who  fully  appreciate  the  amount  of  observation  and  research  which 
the  subjects  on  which  he  has  so  ably  written  require,  will  have 
formed  but  a  low  estimate  of  the  degree  of  his  application  unless 
they  have  observed  him  in  his  sphere  of  labor.  During  the  session 
of  the  University  he  devoted  three  hours  each  day  to  imparting  in- 
struction, embracing  a  demonstrative  course  of  Pathological  Anat- 
omy and  Microscopy,  for  which  the  Charite  furnished  abundant  ma- 
terial, a  practical  course  of  Pathological  Histology  in  which  his 
pupils  are  exercised  in  making  microscopical  preparations,  and  a 
theoretical  course  of  lectures  on  General  Pathology,  including  Gen- 
eral Pathological  Anatomy.  It  was  mainly  through  his  exertions 
that  the  Pathological  Institute  was  established.  Here  he  makes  his 
scientific  researches  and  imparts  his  oral  instructions  in  that  agree- 
able style  so  peculiar  to  him.  His  assistants,  Drs.  Hoppe  and  von 
Eecklinghausen,  contribute  in  no  small  degree  to  the  utility  of  this 
institution;  the  former,  who  conducts  a  demonstrative  course  on 
Physiological  and  Pathological  Chemistry,  has  recently  been  elected 
to  a  professorship  in  the  University  of  Tiibingen ;  the  latter  conducts 
a  practical  course  in  Anatomical  Histology.  When  we  take  into 
consideration  the  immense  amount  of  labor  which  Virchow  has  de- 


Student  Days  in  Beelin.  57 

voted  to  medicine  as  an  academical  teacher,  as  author  of  the  Cellvr 
lar-Pathologie  and  Gesammelte  Ahhandlungen,  as  editor  of  the 
Archiv  fiir  Pathologische  Anatomie,  of  the  Handbuch  der  8pe- 
ciellen  Pathologie  und  Therapie,  as  one  of  the  editors  of  Canstatts 
Jahresbericht  der  Gesammten  Medicin,  through  his  activity  in  the 
medical  societies  of  Wuerzburg  and  Berlin,  and  as  one  of  the  physi- 
cians to  the  Charite,  it  would  hardly  be  supposed  that  he  could  have 
found  the  time  to  apply  his  talents  in  another  direction.  But  this 
has  nevertheless  been  the  case.  Virchow  is  as  patriotic  as  he  is 
scientific.  In  '48  he  took  a  prominent  stand,  through  his  mighty 
pen  and  eloquent  public  speeches,  as  the  champion  for  the  people. 
Since  then  he  has  never  permitted  an  opportunity  to  escape  him 
when  he  could  render  any  service  to  the  cause  of  political  reform. 
The  course  which  he  has  pursued  as  a  member  of  the  Stadt  Ah- 
geordneten  Hans,  and  of  the  National  Verein,  which  has  a  united 
Germany  for  its  aim,  has  won  for  him  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of 
the  people.  [Here  follows  an  interesting  description  of  Virchow's 
recent  discovery  of  amyloid  degeneration.] 

The  third  letter  is  devoted  to  the  surgical  work  of  Professor  Lan- 
genbeck  of  Berlin,  and  especially  to  his  scientific  operation  in  joint 
resection  and  to  his  contribution  to  the  surgery  of  the  veins. 

Berlin,  February  — ,  1861. 
Dear  Moses, 

.  .  .  I  feel  proud  of  old  Maryland  for  the  conservative  char- 
acter she  has  exhibited,  and  would  rather  identify  myself  with  her 
interests  alone,  than  be  linked  either  to  the  ruthless  domineering 
of  a  debauched,  black  Eepublicanism  under  the  influence  of  victory, 
or  to  the  hot-headed,  impulsive,  fanatic,  unreliable,  irresponsible 
"  cotton  politicians  "  who  have  for  years  boasted  of  chivalry,  and 
who  have  shown  a  craven  spirit  at  their  defeat,  a  defeat  which  they 
inflicted  upon  themselves.  With  South  Carolina  I  have  not  the  least 


58  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

sympathy,  for  I  consider  that  she  has  insulted  the  whole  South  by 
her  precipitate  action,  seeming  to  be  led  by  the  ambitious  design 
of  being  recognized  as  the  leader  in  a  movement  in  which  they  all 
had  a  common  interest,  to  disdain  to  await  their  co-opera- 
tion.    .     .     . 

In  a  letter  dated  February  26,  1861,  he  says:  "My  antipathy  to 
the  "  Black  Eepublican  "  party  has  probably  led  you  to  suppose  that 
I  join  in  the  sentiments  of  the  secessionists.  This  is,  however, 
not  the  case.  I  regard  the  Union  as  a  holy  institution,  against  which 
no  tongue  can  speak  but  in  blasphemy,  against  which  no  hand  can 
be  directed  but  in  sacrilege.  I  rely  upon  the  good  sense  and  patriot- 
ism of  the  American  people  for  a  speedy  settlement  of  existing  dif- 
ficulties. The  border  states  have  proven  that  a  healthy  public  opin- 
ion exists  in  them ;  and,  as  they  are  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  Con- 
federacy, I  have  no  doubt  that  they  will  be  able  to  reconcile  the 
extremists  of  the  two  sections  of  the  country  with  each  other/' 

Berlin,  March  10,  1861. 
Dear  Father, 

.  .  .  All  the  lectures  I  attended  have  ended,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  which  will  be  closed  in  four  or  five  days,  and  then 
I  shall  set  out  for  Paris. 

I  have  studied  French  pretty  closely  during  my  sojourn  here, 
and  I  feel  convinced  that  I  shall  not  experience  much  difficulty 
when  I  shall  be  forced  to  hear  and  speak  that  language  exclusively. 
Since  my  departure  from  America  I  have  enjoyed  the  great  blessing 
of  uninterrupted  good  health  and  fine  spirits.  With  Berlin  I  have 
every  reason  to  be  satisfied,  having  been  able  to  acquire  a  good  deal 
of  valuable  knowledge,  and  to  enjoy,  at  the  hands  of  the  friends 
that  I  have  made,  genuine  German  hospitality. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna  (1861-1862) . 

On  March  20  he  left  Berlin  for  Paris.  "I  thought  my  legs 
would  freeze."  But  he  met  agreeable  companions,  and  "we 
enjoy  ourselves  very  well,  at  least  as  well  as  one  can  with  the 
stiff  limbs  which  twenty-four  hours'  continuous  travel  inflicts." 
[Diary]. 

Paris,  April  15,  1861. 

Dear  Parents, 

.  .  .  First  of  all  you  are  no  doubt  anxious  to  hear  from  me 
how  I  like  Paris.  Despite  all  the  descriptions  I  had  heard,  it  so  far 
surpassed  all  the  anticipations  I  had  formed  that,  when  I  first  ar- 
rived, I  felt  like  an  Eastern  Shoreman  who  for  the  first  time  sees 
a  city.  I  might  write  you  a  good  deal  about  the  city  itself,  but  I 
cannot  postpone  saying  a  few  words  in  relation  to  that  which  inter- 
ests me  more,  viz.,  the  facilities  which  it  offers  for  the  object  of  my 
visit. 

Since  my  arrival  here  I  have  regularly  attended  the  clinics  at 
the  hospitals  and  the  lectures  at  the  University,'  and  found  that  my 
studies  in  the  French  language  enabled  me  to  understand  all  that 
I  heard.  There  are  a  few  branches  of  the  profession  for  the  study 
of  which  Paris  offers  facilities  probably  far  surpassing  those  in 
any  other  place  in  the  world,  which,  I  am  convinced,  will  repay  me 
for  the  time  I  shall  spend  here.     In  general,  however,  I  find  the 

^He  attended  the  ophthalmological  clinics  of  Desmarres,  Sichel,  and 
Fano,  the  surgical  clinics  of  Nelaton  and  Chassaignac,  and  also  several 
courses  in  obstetrics,  surgical  anatomy,  and  other  subjects. 


60  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

instruction  given  here  somewhat  superficial,  and  I  do  not  believe 
that  I  shall  learn  as  much  as  I  did  in  Germany.  I  shall  be  able 
to  inform  myself  in  those  branches  for  which  Paris  is  so  Justly 
famous,  and,  as  I  do  not  wish  to  lose  any  time,  I  expect  to  spend 
next  winter  in  Vienna,  if  nothing  transpires  before  that  time  to 
cause  me  to  change  my  mind.  It  is  impossible  not  to  like  Paris, 
and  I  feel  very  comfortable  and  contented  here,  though  I  was  forced 
to  accustom  myself  to  a  mode  of  living  hitherto  strange  to 
me.     .     .     . 

Paris,  April  30,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Moses, 

I  have  received  yours  of  the  eleventh  inst.  with  accompanying 
papers,  informing  me  of  the  deplorable  state  of  politics  in  the 
once  United  States  of  America.  Disagreeable  as  it  must  be  to  those 
who  are  eye  witnesses  of  the  dreadful  drama,  it  is  no  less  painful 
for  one  at  a  distance  to  observe  into  what  nothingness  our  country 
is  sinking  in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  The  commencement  of  war  by 
the  affair  at  Charleston  was  in  itself  laughable  enough,  yet  points 
to  all  the  calamities  of  a  civil  war.  My  feelings  in  regard  to  the 
subject  which  brought  on  this  great  political  calamity  are,  as  I 
should  judge  from  the  tenor  of  your  letters,  at  variance  with  those 
you  entertain. 

The  election  of  Lincoln  has  been  assigned  by  the  Southern  states 
[as  the  cause]  that  would  prevent  a  reconciliation  of  the  differences 
existing  between  the  various  sections  of  the  country  on  the  slavery 
question.  What  was  it  that  elected  Lincoln?  Did  not  the  cotton 
states,  by  dismembering  the  opposition,  bring  it  about?  It  was  as- 
serted that,  after  a  Eepublican  triumph,  there  would  be  no  protec- 
tion to  the  institutions  of  the  South.  This  assertion  came  from  a 
quarter  which  was  least  affected  by  the  political  change!  South 
Carolina,  which  had  not  lost  a  "  nigger  "  for  fifty  years,  declared  its 
independence,  while  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Kentucky,  with  every- 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.    61 

thing  to  risk,  still  remained  loyal  to  the  Union,  and  would  have 
continued  to  do  so,  had  they  not  been  forced  to  protect  their  South- 
ern brethren  in  case  of  collision.  Besides,  the  basis  upon  which 
the  Confederate  States  rest,  the  right  of  secession  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  other  states  whenever  a  state  pleases,  does  not  appear  to 
me  to  be  one  upon  which  a  sound  fabric  could  be  raised.  .  .  . 
I  am  as  much  opposed  to  the  Republican  party*  as  you  are,  but  I 
do  not  feel  disposed  to  unite  myself  with  every  one  of  its  assailants. 
So  much  for  politics.     ... 

Paris  is  a  great  place  for  surgery;  in  fact,  it  is  the  only  place 
where  it  is  well  taught,  and  to  this  branch  I  shall  for  the  most  part 
devote  my  attention  while  here.     .     .     . 

Paris,  June  2,  1861. 

Dear  Father, 

.  .  .  Paris  is  such  a  delightful  place  that  it  would  be  impos- 
sible not  to  be  satisfied  here.  On  the  whole,  I  think  I  shall  profit 
considerably  by  my  sojourn  here.  I  am  a  much  greater  admirer  of 
the  German  medical  institutions  than  of  the  French.  In  Germany 
everything  connected  with  medicine  rests  upon  a  sounder  basis,  and 
one  can  place  more  reliance  upon  what  one  hears  there  than  he  can 
upon  what  he  hears  in  Paris.  There  are  several  branches  of  the 
profession  which  are  cultivated  with  greater  success  here,  and  I 
have  applied  myself  particularly  to  the  study  of  these  subjects.  I 
agree  with  you  that  I  am  fortunate  in  being  so  far  removed  from 
the  scene  of  those  dreadful  political  agitations  now  raging  in 
America.  I  am  perfectly  convinced  that,  if  a  few  more  had  had  an 
opportunity  of  comparing  the  political  institutions  of  Europe  with 
those  of  our  hitherto  happy  country,  there  would  be  considerably 
less  eagerness  evinced  for  a  dissolution  of  the  Union. 

'His  political  views  changed  in  time.  He  later  became  a  stanch 
Republican. 


62  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Paris,  June  2,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Moses, 

Your  letter  of  the  sixth  ult.  lies  before  me.  Though  I  have  kept 
myself  pretty  well  informed  concerning  the  political  proceedings 
at  home,  thanks  to  the  London  Times,  your  account  was  neverthe- 
less interesting.  The  papers  which  you  sent  me  I  have  not  yet  re- 
ceived; but,  as  they  generally  come  a  little  later  than  my  letters, 
I  may  receive  them  in  a  few  days.  I  cannot  share  your  secessionist 
views;  this  may  be  due  to  my  being  removed  so  far  from  the  field 
of  action,  or,  perhaps,  to  our  different  way  of  thinking;  the  latter 
seems  to  me  to  be  more  probable.  The  Union  has  always  appeared 
to  me  as  a  sacred  structure,  against  which  no  hand  could  be  raised 
save  in  sacrilege.  What  is  it  that  caused  so  many  to  abandon  this 
sentiment,  which  they  were  hitherto  prepared  to  defend  by  all  the 
means  at  their  disposal?  Is  it,  perhaps,  the  triumph  of  the  Ee- 
publican  party  at  the  last  election?  In  considering  the  question, 
let  us  lose  sight  of  those  who,  during  their  entire  existence,  have 
been  so  impregnated  with  nullificationism,  who  have  gained  such  a 
world-wide  notoriety  on  account  of  their  pecular  disposition  to  tar- 
and-feathering,  who  hitherto  worshipped  with  such  zeal  at  the 
shrine  of  the  Bowie  knife,  the  revolver,  and  the  "  Brooksing  sys- 
tem," that  no  excess  in  which  they  may  indulge  requires  an  expla- 
nation. Excluding  these  men,  whose  views  do  not  deserve  any  con- 
sideration, I  think  the  rest  over  the  spirit  of  whose  dreams  there 
has  appeared  such  a  sudden  change  may  be  divided  into  three 
classes:  first,  those  who,  dreading  an  intolerable  degree  of  emacia- 
tion on  their  expulsion  from  the  trough  at  which  they  have  so  long 
indulged  in  the  process  of  fattening  themselves,  explain  the  election 
of  Lincoln  as  a  subterfuge  in  order  to  resort  to  the  next  best  means 
of  "  saving  their  bacon ;"  secondly,  those  who  honestly  believed  that 
the  chan,ge  which  took  place  in  the  administration  on  the  fourth  of 
March  was  incompatible  with  the  safety  of  the  South ;  and,  thirdly. 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.    G3 

those, — and  these,  I  think,  form  the  largest  party, — who,  under 
the  pressure  of  an  excited  state  of  public  opinion,  were  compelled 
to  swell  the  ranks  of  the  two  parties  first  mentioned. 

As  regards  the  professional  politicians,  I  am  persuaded  that,  after 
the  course  which  they  pursued  in  the  Charleston  convention,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  remaining  as  to  their  motive.  It  was  evident  then, 
and  the  result  of  the  last  election  has  proved  it,  that  the  Democratic 
party  of  the  South,  with  the  aid  of  the  large  conservative  party  in 
the  North,  had  it  not  been  dismembered  by  the  proceedings  of  that 
convention,  would  have  placed  a  national  candidate  in  the  Presiden- 
tial chair.  It  is  all  "  moonshine  "  to  speak  of  the  dissensions  then 
existing  as  resting  upon  abstract  questions.  I  cannot  understand 
how  there  can  be  any  who  support  the  opinion  that  "  squatter  sove- 
reignty " — a  doctrine  to  explain  which  would  require  the  talent  of 
a  Philadelphia  lawyer — was  the  rock  upon  which  the  Democratic 
party  foundered.  Is  there  the  least  ground  for  entertaining  this 
opinion,  if  we  do  not  shut  our  eyes  completely  to  the  history  of  that 
party,  teeming  as  it  does  with  instances  of  compromises,  conces- 
sions, and  everything  that  offers  the  least  prospect  of  carrying  an 
election  ?  I  cannot  for  the  life  of  me  think  otherwise  than  that  the 
leaders,  feeling  that  their  demoralization  had  reached  a  dqgree 
which,  if  it  did  not  threaten  immediate  defeat,  would  at  least  ab- 
breviate their  political  existence,  considered  it  expedient  to  take 
time  by  the  forelock  and  grasp  the  doctrine  of  secession,  in  order 
to  begin  a  new  career.  They  were  no  doubt  disappointed  in  this, 
as  they  did  not  expect  at  the  time  that  it  would  cost  even  more 
blood  to  sever  the  Union  than  it  did  to  cement  it. 

It  is  a  matter  of  no  little  surprise  that  those  who  honestly  be- 
lieved that  the  institutions  of  the  South  were  rendered  insecure  by 
a  Eepublican  victory  were  those  who  had  the  least  to  lose  in  that 
event.  This  fear  would  never  have  moved  the  people  of  Virginia, 
or  Maryland,  or  Kentucky,  or  Missouri,  or  Tennessee  to  think  of 


64  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

severing  their  alliance  with  the  North.  South  Carolina,  Georgia, 
and  Alabama,  who  would  be  compelled  to  search  their  archives 
for  years  to  find  a  single  case  of  the  abduction  of  a  negro  by  the 
"  underground  railroad,"  were  the  first  to  think  of  additional  pro- 
tection for  their  property.  If  there  is  no  protection  for  the  institu- 
tions of  the  South  under  the  Union,  with  a  Constitution  recognizing 
them  and  a  President  sworn  to  obey  the  Constitution,  what  would 
the  slaveholders  have  to  expect,  if  the  North  were  relieved  of  its 
present  obligation  ?  When  we  hear  of  the  great  enthusiasm  and  un- 
divided sentiment  in  favor  of  secession  existing  in  the  South,  are 
we  really  to  believe  that  the  Union  sentiment  which  existed  but  a 
few  months  ago  has  been  completely  metamorphosed?  I,  for  one, 
am  not  of  this  opinion;  an  excited  public  opinion  can  easily  force 
people  to  abandon  principles  which  they  entertained  before. 
"  Those  who  are  not  with  us  are  against  us  "  is  the  powerful  argu- 
ment to  which  the  secessionists  have  resorted,  and  which  has  forced 
so  many  under  their  banners.  We  Baltimoreans  have  had  suffi- 
cient evidence  of  the  force  of  excited  public  opinion.  I  recollect 
very  well  when  it  was  nothing  less  than  dangerous  to  say  the  least 
thing  against  "  Know-nothingism,"  which  is  now,  thank  God,  so 
completely  defunct.  As  it  was  then  held  that  everything  anti- 
"  Know-nothing  "  was  un-American,  so  now  everything  Union  is 
confounded  with  Abolitionism. 

Now  a  few  words  with  regard  to  Maryland.  I  might  at  first  say 
something  about  the  right  of  secession,  but  I  may  dispense  with 
this  at  present,  as  I  have  referred  to  it  in  my  previous  letters,  and 
as  my  letter  is  attaining  an  inordinate  length.  It  appears  to  me 
that  the  Southerners  have  no  more  right  to  secede  from  the  Union 
than  they  have  to  cut  their  throats.  You  may  call  it  heroic  on  the 
part  of  South  Carolina  to  hoist  the  palmetto  flag,  but  as  she  thereby 
dragged  Virginia  and  Maryland  and  Kentucky,  etc.,  into  this  great 
difficulty  against  their  will,  I  call  it  treacherous  and  faithless.    If 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.    65 

all  the  Southern  states  felt  the  necessity  of  secession  .  .  .  things 
would  have  had  a  different  aspect,  but  if  one  Southern  border  state 
had  refused  to  secede,  then  all  the  rest  should  have  renounced  the 
idea  of  secession  as  a  necessary  concession  of  the  majority  to  the 
minority.  .  .  .  You  will  excuse  me  for  digressing  from  the 
consideration  of  the  position  of  Maryland.  What  I  have  said  about 
secession  was  not  intended  at  all  to  present  in  full  my  views  on  the 
subject  of  secession  itself;  it  was  intended  merely  as  the  basis  of 
the  views  I  hold  in  relation  to  the  course  which  Maryland  ought  to 
pursue.  It  would  be  superfluous  on  my  part  to  say  whether  or  not 
Maryland  should  at  once  join  the  secessionists  and  bid  defiance  to 
the  government  of  the  United  States.  You  admit  her  position  in 
that  case  would  be  highly  perilous.  I  fully  share  your  views  on  this 
point.  What  is  she  to  do?  Is  she  to  remain  a  passive  spectator 
and  await  the  chance  of  war,  and  thus  heap  upon  herself  both  the 
hatred  of  the  North  and  the  distrust  of  the  South?  I  think  when 
we  take  into  consideration  the  result  of  this  trouble  her  position  is 
clear.  I  have  no  doubt  that,  even  in  case  of  the  triumph  of  the 
North, — and  everything  is  in  favor  of  this, — a  final  separation  will 
take  place.  Supposin,g  this  to  be  the  case,  what  would  be  her  posi- 
tion in  a  Southern  Confederacy,  with  her  history  in  this  troul:)le? 
Why,  it  is  clear  she  would  be  about  the  smallest  end  of  nothing 
whittled  to  a  point.  At  the  same  time,  how  much  would  she  be 
exposed  to  Northern  aggressions,  not  such  as  have  hitherto  been 
known,  aggressions  instigated  by  simple  theories,  and  having  their 
limits  set  by  the  law,  but  aggressions  incited  by  both  hatred  of 
slavery  and  desire  for  revenge.  In  a  Northern  confederacy,  what- 
ever temporary  inconveniences  she  might  suffer,  her  future  would 
be  brightened.  In  a  short  time  she  would  be  able  to  rid  herself  of 
slavery,  and  enjoy  all  the  advantages  of  the  other  free  states. 
Should  her  sympathies  for  the  South  prevent  her  choosing  the 
means  necessary  for  her  future  prosperity,  this  would  be  sickly 


66  Aaeon"  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

sentimentality.  The  cotton  states  did  not  shrink  from  plunging 
her  into  all  the  calamities  of  a  war  centralized  upon  her  soil,  and 
why  should  she  now  ask  South  Carolina,  or  Georgia,  or  Virginia 
what  should  be  the  course  she  should  pursue?  It  is  evident  that 
slavery  cannot  exist  in  Maiyland  for  an  indefinite  time.  Whatever 
be  the  result  of  the  approaching  civil  war,  the  time  for  slavery  in 
Maryland  is  limited.  Statistics  show  that  it  has  been  gradually 
decreasing.  In  fact  it  will  not  pay  in  our  state,  when  we  take  into 
consideration  the  fact  that  there  is  perhaps  no  other  state  from 
which  so  many  slaves  run  away.  Let  Maryland  prepare  for  this, 
and  she  will  hold  a  firm  position.  Her  soil  is  fertile  and  impreg- 
nated with  mineral  wealth,  while  as  a  manufacturing  state  she 
would  receive  a  fresh  impetus.  Immigration  would  be  encouraged, 
and  her  soil  would  thereby  rise  in  value  sufiBciently  to  compensate 
her  in  a  short  time  for  all  her  losses.  I  think  her  interests  are 
with  the  Union.  She  ought  to  be  faithful  to  it.  If  the  South  par- 
tially succeeds,  it  will  hold  such  an  imbecile  position  as  will  be  a 
warning  to  all  future  secessionists.  You  must  not  misunderstand 
me;  I  am  as  much  opposed  to  black  Eepublicanism  as  ever,  but  I 
think  our  duty  is  to  the  Union  and  our  own  state.  You  will  of 
course  perceive  great  incoherence  in  these  lines.  I  have  written 
just  as  I  thought,  in  order  to  give  you  an  idea  of  what  a  Marylander 
so  far  from  home  thinks.  As  for  it  being  a  galling  sight  for  Balti- 
moreans  to  see  Northern  troops  infesting  their  city,  permit  me  to 
say  that  our  townsmen  can  stand  a  great  deal.  Any  body  of  men 
who  could  so  long  tolerate  the  anarchy  of  "  Know-nothingism  " 
can  also  have  a  little  forbearance  towards  Northern  troops.  I  do 
not  pity  them  in  the  least.     .     .     . 

On  June  22,  1861,  he  wrote:  "  The  more  I  see  of  European  cus- 
toms the  more  I  am  convinced  that  we  have  much  more  to  be  proud 
of  than  the  Declaration  of  Independence  and  the  Constitution." 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  67 

Paris,  June  34,  18G1. 
Dear  Father, 

.  .  .  I  am  very  much  engaged  at  present,  and  it  will  perhaps 
not  be  uninteresting  to  you  to  hear  how  I  spend  my  time.  I  get 
up  generally  about  seven  o'clock  A.  M.,  which  you  will  probably 
not  consider  very  late  when  you  hear  at  what  time  I  go  to  bed.  I 
take  breakfast  in  a  cafe  in  the  neighborhood  of  my  room,  and  am 
at  the  hospitals  from  eight  to  ten.  The  time  from  ten  until  twelve 
I  employ  in  study  at  my  room,  which  is  quite  near  to  the  hospitals. 
At  twelve,  I  take  a  second  breakfast,  and  the  time  from  that  hour 
until  two  I  spend  at  the  famous  clinic  of  M.  Desmarres  for  the  dis- 
eases of  the  eye.  From  two  to  three  I  attend  a  lecture  at  the  Uni- 
versity; from  three  to  four  I  am  again  engaged  in  study  in  my 
room;  between  four  and  five  I  attend  another  lecture;  and  I  em- 
ploy the  time  from  then  until  seven  in  private  study.  At  seven,  I 
go  to  dinner,  after  which  I  take  an  hour's  walk  in  one  of  the  beau- 
tiful parks  which  they  have  here  in  such  abundance.  I  then  gen- 
erally spend  an  hour  in  the  cafe  to  read  the  papers,  enjoy  the  bene- 
fits of  French  conversation  with  my  acquaintances,  and  then  re- 
turn home;  and  my  books  keep  me  up  until  a  late  hour.  During 
the  last  three  weeks  I  have  not  gotten  to  bed  before  one  o'clock. 
So  you  see  I  am  not  spending  my  time  in  idleness.  I  am  enjoying 
uninterrupted  good  health,  and  I  derive  such  great  pleasure 
from  my  studies  that  I  feel  I  cannot  lose  a  single  moment,  with  the 
exception  of  those  which  I  set  aside  for  a  little  recreation. 

Dear  Brother  Stern, 

.  .  .  Paris  is  divided  into  various  quarters.  I  live  in  the 
Quartier  Latin,  for  the  most  part  inhabited  by  students  and  gri- 
settes.  You  can  easily  imagine  that  it  is  a  lively  quarter.  We  will 
spend  a  day  together  here.  Imagine  it  to  be  Sunday  and  that  I  am 
quite  at  your  disposal.    We  get  up  at  an  early  hour  and  seek  a  bar- 


68  Aakon  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

ber's  shop.  We  first  meet  a  3'oung  man  with  a  portfolio  under  his 
arm,  his  eyes  testifying  that  he  did  not  spend  the  night  in  a  most 
satisfied  manner.  This  is  a  student,  more  likely  returning  than 
coming  from  home.  We  next  hear  a  rustle  of  crinoline  and  silk,  we 
look  behind  us,  and  find  them  partly  enveloping  the  figure  of  a  fe- 
male. I  say  partly,  for  the  low-necked  dresses  of  the  Quartier  Latin 
would  indicate  that  the  necks  of  women  extend  much  farther  than 
is  usually  believed,  while  the  exposition  of  ankles  would  far  exceed 
anything  you  ever  beheld  at  the  crossings  at  Market  Space,  even 
when  the  Falls  overflowed.  This  is  one  of  the  proudest  and  appa- 
rently one  of  the  happiest  beings  in  the  quarter.  She  is  a  grisette. 
We  have  now  reached  a  barber's  shop,  very  similar  to  those  we  see 
at  home.  You  take  a  seat  and  are  surprised  at  the  person  occupying 
the  next  chair;  under  an  innumerable  quantity  of  ringlets  you  dis- 
cover the  features  of  a  female  having  her  hair  dressed.  This  is 
another  heroine  of  the  quarter. 

We  shall  now  take  a  Parisian  breakfast.  You  may  wish  to  go 
to  a  cafe,  quite  a  fine  place.  I  prefer  a  cremerie,  which,  though 
not  quite  so  elegant,  is  much  cheaper.  In  the  former  place  your 
cofl[ee,  bread,  and  butter  will  cost  you  about  twenty  cents;  in  the 
latter,  where  you  will  receive  substantially  the  same  things,  your 
outlay  will  not  exceed  six  cents.  You  must  not  inspect  the  hands 
of  the  waiter  too  closely,  however,  for  if  you  have  not  a  stomach 
quite  as  strong  as  the  one  with  which  I  am  blessed,  you  may  per- 
haps not  relish  your  coffee.  You  will  be  in  very  agreeable  company ; 
on  one  side  of  you  there  will  be  fine  broad-cloth,  on  the  other  a 
blouse.  This  is  not  uncommon  here,  where  equality  reigns  su- 
preme. .  .  .  You  will  be  surprised  at  the  capacity  of  the  bowl 
containing  your  coifee,  the  dimensions  of  which  will  nearly  equal 
those  of  an  ordinary  wash-basin.  You  will  readily  agree  with  me 
that  the  coffee  in  Paris  surpasses  any  you  have  ever  tasted.  The 
quality  will  be  quite  as  satisfactory  as  the  quantity.    We  will  now 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  69 

take  a  little  stroll.  After  wending  our  way  through  the  narrow 
streets  of  the  Quartier,  whose  sidewalks  permit  only  two  to  walk 
abreast,  you  will  be  happy  to  find  yourself  on  one  of  the  boulevards. 
These  are  broad  streets,  with  fine  trees  planted  on  either  side.  Here 
you  would  be  able  to  spend  a  day  quite  pleasantly,  observing  the 
doings  of  the  lively  Parisians.  Here  you  notice  hundreds  of  men, 
women,  and  children  vending  little  articles,  such  as  pens,  pencils, 
WTiting-paper,  shoe-strings,  fruit,  maps  of  Paris,  and  the  like,  each 
endeavoring  to  out-yell  the  other  in  proclaiming  the  superiority  of 
the  articles  in  quality  and  inexpensiveness.  In  passing  one  of  the 
public  squares,  you  will  see  a  large  crowd  collected  to  witness  an 
acrobat  performing  his  wonderful  feats  in  the  open  air.  He  assumes 
a  supplicating  attitude,  and  asks  for  only  one  more  sou  before  at- 
tempting his  miraculous  tricks.  ...  In  another  portion  of 
the  square  you  see,  mounted  on  the  top  of  a  carriage,  a  little  girl, 
fantastically  dressed,  beating  a  drum.  This  collects  a  crowd.  A 
man  with  a  tremendous  moustache  stands  up  in  the  vehicle,  and 
holding  a  box  of  salve  in  his  hand,  commences  a  tirade  against  char- 
latanism, which  casts  so  much  unjust  suspicion  on  the  intentions  of 
the  real  benefactors  of  humanity.  He  assures  you  that,  in  thus 
coming  before  the  public,  he  is  animated  only  by  a  sincere  desire 
to  help  suffering  mankind.  He  claims  to  have  discovered  a  sure 
remedy  for  sprains,  coughs,  neuralgia,  headache,  ulcers,  and  "  the 
thousand  natural  ills  which  flesh  is  heir  to."  You  will  wonder  how 
well  the  fellow  understands  his  business.  I  cannot  leave  you  here 
long,  else  you  will  begin  to  think  that  your  system  is  out  of  order, 
and  in  consequence  be  mulcted  in  the  sum  of  one  or  two  francs. 
You  will  behold  little  squads  of  people  collected  in  other  portions 
of  the  square,  attracted  by  men  exposing  the  wonders  of  the  elec- 
trical machine,  raffling  off  ginger  cake,  and  exhibiting  objects  under 
the  microscope. 

The  fine  buildings  we  shall  pass,  as  well  as  the  show  windows, 


70  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

arranged  with  Parisian  taste,  will  not  fail  to  elicit  your  admira- 
tion. The  churches,  palaces,  and  other  public  buildings,  you  will 
agree  with  me,  surpass  anything  of  the  kind  in  our  country,  with 
the  exception,  perhaps,  of  our  fine  Capitol  at  Washington.  The 
other  buildings,  however,  cannot  be  compared  to  the  magnificent 
ones  on  Broadway  in  New  York,  Chestnut  Street  in  Philadelphia, 
or  West  Baltimore  Street  in  Baltimore.  After  seeing  our  large 
warehouses  at  home,  one  must  wonder  where  people  do  their  large 
business  here,  for  the  places  where  business  is  done  here  deserve 
the  designation  rather  of  shops  than  of  mercantile  establishments. 

People  here  live  quite  differently  from  what  they  do  in  our 
country.  Every  building  is  used  here  for  both  business  and  dwell- 
ing purposes.  Parisians  content  themselves  with  a  few  rooms  in 
one  of  the  six  or  seven  stories  of  their  buildings,  a  story  which  they 
choose  according  to  their  stations  and  purses.  We  will  examine 
one  of  these  houses  together.  The  first  floor  is  devoted  to  mercan- 
tile purposes;  the  second  may  be  likewise,  or  it  may  contain  the 
apartments  of  some  baron ;  in  the  third  you  will  find  a  very  respect- 
able family  occupying  a  few  rooms,  too  economical  to  go  further 
down,  and  too  proud  to  go  higher  up;  in  the  fourth,  families  who 
have  to  manage  to  make  both  ends  meet ;  in  the  fifth  you  will  be  as- 
tonished to  find  how  elevated  a  position  honesty  occupies  in  Paris; 
and  in  the  sixth,  you  will  have  an  example  of  what  is  poorer  than 
poor. 

Without  ascending  to  the  seventh,  you  will  not  object  to  a  little 
fresh  air.  We  will  therefore  take  a  stroll  through  the  Jardin  des 
Tuileries,  and  the  Champs  Elysees.  We  shall  pass  the  Louvre,  so 
famous  for  its  paintings,  statuary,  and  antiquities,  and  the  Tuileries, 
which,  you  know,  is  the  Imperial  palace.  We  will  not  occupy  our- 
selves with  these  buildings,  though  they  are  of  great  interest,  as  I 
wish  to  show  you  as  much  of  life  as  is  possible  in  one  day.  It  will 
take  us  about  an  hour  to  walk  through  the  garden  of  the  Tuileries. 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  71 

The  garden  is  a  magnificent  one,  with  beautiful  statuary,  fine  foun- 
tains, and  large  ponds.  In  consequence  there  are  a  great  number 
of  people  attracted  here.  You  will  notice  thousands  of  women 
•with  their  caps  and  with  babies  on  their  arms, — these  are  nurses, — 
numbers  of  little  girls  jumping  rope,  and  men  and  boys  playing 
various  games  of  ball.  Coming  from  our  Puritanical  city,  you 
must  not  be  too  much  surprised  to  observe  priests,  even  on  Sunday, 
watching  the  game,  and  not  failir^g  at  an  opportune  moment  to  put 
in  their  kicks.  In  another  portion  of  the  garden  there  will  be  a 
fine  military  band,  performing  for  the  amusement  of  the  jolly 
Parisians.  I  have,  however,  heard  better  music  in  Germany.  All 
the  walks  are  lined  with  chairs,  upon  one  of  which  you  will  take  a 
seat,  and  a  woman  will  come  to  you  for  two  sous.  The  chairs  are 
supplied  by  a  private  company.  If  you  object  to  this,  you  can 
choose  a  bench,  if  you  are  able  to  find  one,  and  you  will  have  your 
seat  free. 

As  we  have  no  time  to  lose  if  we  wish  to  study  Parisian  life  in  one 
day,  we  shall  have  to  proceed  further.  Passing  through  the  Jardin 
des  Tuileries,  we  arrive  at  the  Champs  Elysees.  Here  we  find  the 
most  beautiful  avenue,  ornamented  on  either  side  with  fine  trees. 
We  shall  meet  here  a  perfect  throng  of  pedestrians  and  fast  horses. 
You  will  wish  to  have  your  horse  and  buggy  to  join  in  the  spirited 
*'  Gee-long."  You  will  feel  tired  enough  when  you  reach  the  end 
of  this  endless  chain  of  avenues.  Here  you  see  the  "  Arch  of  Tri- 
umph," built  in  commemoration  of  French  victories.  It  is  a 
beautiful  structure,  and  bears  on  its  vast  columns  the  names  of  the 
various  places  where  the  French  flag  floated  in  triumph.     .     .     . 

Returning,  we  must  not  forget  to  notice  the  many  gardens,  where 

you  can  both  get  a  fine  cup  of  coffee  and  hear  a  fine  concert.     We 

shall  now  mount  to  the  top  of  an  omnibus  to  reach  the  Closerie, 

which  is  a  fine  garden  to  which  students  and  grisettes  and  strangers 

6 


72  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

flock  in  the  evening  to  join  in  the  merry  dance.     ...     It  will 
be  ten  o'clock  before  I  can  get  you  away  from  here. 

We  will  now  go  to  the  cafe  in  the  Quartier.  On  the  first  floor  I 
shall  meet  a  few  friends  and  take  a  cup  of  coffee  with  them.  If  you 
go  to  the  second  floor,  you  will  find  students  and  grisettes  puffing 
away  at  their  cigars.  You  inquire  what  are  the  attractions  of  a 
cafe.  Here  you  find  all  the  leading  English,  French,  Italian,  Swiss, 
Eussian,  and  Polish  papers,  and  enjoy  a  game  of  chess,  dominoes,  or 
cards.  Things  are  quite  different  here  from  what  they  are  in  Ger- 
many. If  you  go  to  a  beer  saloon  in  the  North  of  Germany,  you 
have  the  advantage  of  hearing  good  music;  but,  if  you  are  a 
stranger,  you  will  be  prevented  by  the  stiffness  of  the  manners  of  the 
people  from  entering  into  conversation.  In  the  South  of  Germany, 
people  are  very  clever;  but,  if  you  desire  to  enter  into  conversation, 
you  will  have  to  confine  your  remarks  to  the  subject  of  beer.  In  a 
cafe  you  meet  people  from  every  part  of  the  globe,  and  you  will  have 
a  little  world  under  your  observation.  I  still  have  much  to  say,  but 
you  see  my  letter  has  attained  an  inordinate  length.  If  you  have  en- 
joyed the  day  in  Paris,  we  may  take  another  stroll  at  some  future 
time.     .     .     . 

He  remarks  in  a  letter  to  his  betrothed  dated  July  17,  1861,  "  I 
find  that  I  have  incurred  no  small  amount  of  displeasure  "  [from 
his  family]  "  for  the  free  expression  of  my  political  sentiments." 

Further  on  in  the  same  letter  he  says :  "  I  have  no  doubt  that 
you  are  very  much  amused  at  the  manner  my  mother  speaks  of 
me.  .  .  I  cannot  wonder  that  she  speaks  of  me  as  if  I  were  only 
a  little  bit  of  a  boy.  Sometimes,  when  I  think  of  my  many  engage- 
ments, extensive  studies,  and,  above  all,  my  grave  responsibilities, 
and  that,  despite  all,  my  spirits  are  about  the  same  as  when  I  played 
marbles  on  the  street,  I  cannot  decide  whether  I  really  have  ceased 
to  be  a  boy  or  not."    [He  was  at  that  time  twenty-five  years  old.] 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  73 

Paris,  July  20,  1861. 

Dear  Father, 

.  .  .  It  is  rather  fortunate  for  me  that  I  do  not  share  your 
secessionist  sentiments,  for  in  that  case  I  should  not  be  able  to  budge 
from  this  place.  A  few  days  ago  I  went  to  the  American  consul 
(not  minister),  to  have  my  passport  stamped.  On  presenting  it 
the  followiuig  dialogue  occurred. 

"  Where  are  you  from  ?" 

"  From  Baltimore." 

"  Are  you  a  secessionist  ?" 

"  Sir,  I  am  astonished  at  this  question." 

"Why?" 

"  I  never  knew  that  an  American  citizen,  claiming  the  protection 
of  his  country,  would  have  to  submit  to  a  catechism  as  to  his  po- 
litical sentiments." 

"  Our  orders  are  positively  to  require  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
constitution  and  government  of  the  United  States  previous  to  grant- 
ing any  claim  on  the  service  of  this  consulate." 

"  Do  you  follow  this  rule  with  the  citizens  of  every  state  when 
they  present  their  passports  to  you  ?  " 

"What  makes  you  ask  this  question?" 

"  Simply  because,  if  this  rule  applied  exclusively  to  the  citizens 
of  the  Southern  states,  I  should  scrupulously  avoid  any  action  which 
would  be  an  acknowledgment  that  my  state  favored  secession." 

"  All  citizens  are  treated  alike." 

"  Being  loyal  to  the  Union,  I  have  not  the  least  hesitation,  under 
these  circumstances,  in  swearing  allegiance  to  the  constitution  of 
the  United  States." 

.  The  oath  was  administered,  my  passport  handed  to  me,  and  we 
parted  good  friends.     .     .     . 


74  Aaroist  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

After  long-continued  hard  work  he  writes  in  his  diary,  "  In  order 
to  commence  my  studies  with  the  same  energy  with  which  I  have 
prosecuted  them  hitherto,  I  think  it  will  be  advisable  to  take  a 
little  recreation." 

On  August  6,  therefore,  he  left  Paris  for  Geneva,  Lausanne,  and 
Berne.  From  Berne  he  rode  to  Thun;  "I  enjoy  the  journey,"  he 
says  in  the  diary,  "  very  much  indeed,  .  .  ,  the  country  is  very 
picturesque;  .  .  .  beautiful  villages  .  .  .  most  enchant- 
ing valleys,  and  towards  the  close  of  the  journey  we  come  in  view 
of  the  snow-covered  mountains  of  the  Bernese  Oberland."  From 
Thun  he  "  sailed  almost  the  entire  length  of  the  lake  [to  Oberseen 
and  Interlaken].  The  water  is  a  beautiful  blue,  and  on  each  side 
we  are  greeted  by  the  view  of  the  incomparably  beautiful  Swiss 
cottages." 

On  August  12  he  set  out  on  foot  for  Grindelwald,  stopping  at 
Lauterbrunnen,  and  then  ascended  the  Faulhorn,  the  summit  of 
which  he  reached  at  ten  P.  M.,  completely  exhausted,  having  walked 
thirteen  hours  and  covered  "  thirty-six  miles,  through  valleys  and 
mountains."  He  rose  at  four  the  next  morning  to  wdtness  the  sun- 
rise. "  The  scene  is  sublime,  the  snow-covered  peaks  reflecting  the 
light.  From  the  Faulhorn  we  have  a  good  view  of  the  whole  Bern- 
ese Oberland,  its  high  mountains,  green  valleys,  and  fine  lakes." 
Thence  he  proceeded  to  Scheideck  and  the  Eosenlaui  glacier,  "  The 
glacier  is  beautiful;  the  ice  is  as  transparent  as  the  purest  crys- 
tal. .  .  .  There  are  several  natural  and  artificial  caves  in 
which  the  roaring  torrents  streaming  from  the  mountains  can 
.  .  .  be  seen.  ,  .  .  The  caves  are  magnificent;  the  light 
coming  through  from  above  assumes  a  blue  hue;  the  arch  of  the 
caves  resembles  the  blue  vault  of  the  heavens.  .  .  Then  we  wend 
our  way  to  the  Eeichenbach  Fall,  which  is  very  pretty  indeed,  or, 
as  a  young  French  demoiselle  remarked,  *"  C'est  toute  heautef  "  He 
proceeded  next  to  the  Giessbach,  at  which  he  arrived  in  time  for 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  75 

the  nightly  illumination,  "  a  magnificent  spectacle."  From  Brienz, 
which  is  not  far  distant,  he  took  the  diligence  for  the  Lake  of  the 
Four  Cantons,  and  ascended  the  Eigi  at  night  from  Weggis,  in  order 
again  to  view  the  sunrise.  "  The  view  is  beautiful,  even  finer  than 
from  the  Faulhom,"  Thence  he  proceeded  by  way  of  Lucerne,  the 
Lake  of  Constance,  Augsburg,  Chemnitz,  and  Dresden  to  Prague, 
where  he  arrived  on  August  19.  He  describes  his  journey  in  a 
letter  dated  Prague,  August  30,  as  follows : 

"  I  cannot  find  words  to  express  the  pleasure  I  derived  from  this 
trip,  .  .  In  Switzerland  I  was  again  in  a  country  where  the 
sacred  principle  of  freedom  reigns  supreme.  When  I  gazed  at  the 
beautiful  snow-covered  mountains,  the  beautiful  valleys,  the  en- 
chanting lakes,  the  crystal  .  .  .  glaciers,  I  could  not  wonder 
that  they  were  destined  by  Providence  to  be  inhabited  by  a  free 
and  happy  people.  In  the  presence  of  these  majestic  .  .  . 
works  of  nature  it  is  explainable  that  the  character  of  the  Swiss 
people  should  be  so  elevated.     .     .     ." 

He  continues :  "  I  heard  of  the  dishonorable  defeat  of  the  Federal 
troops  at  Bull  Eun  the  day  before  I  left  Paris.  I  had  intended  to 
leave  Paris  on  the  same  day,  but  when  I  read  the  news  my  nervous 
system  received  such  a  shock  that  I  postponed  my  departure  until 
the  following  day.  With  all  my  devotion  to  the  Union  I'd  rather 
see  it  scattered  to  the  winds  than  see  it  fought  for  in  that  cowardly 
manner.  When  I  received  the  news  I  felt  more  like  going  home  and 
enlisting  than  anything  else." 

In  Prague  he  devoted  himself  to  the  diagnosis  of  diseases  of  the 
chest  under  Dr.  Peters,  and  especially  to  obstetrics  under  Professor 
Seyfert. 

'"  The  obstetric  hospital  itself  is  supplied  with  abundant  material, 
over  three  thousand  births  taking  place  here  annually.     .     .     . 


76  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

Seyfert  is  a  skilful  practitioner,  .  .  .  but  many  of  his  precepts 
appear  to  me  both  ridiculous  and  dangerous.  Some  believe  him  to 
be  quite  a  scholar;  .  .  .  there  is,  however,  one  very  important 
qualification  of  the  professor  which  I  unhesitatingly  say  he  lacks — 
I  mean  gentlemanliness.  Not  only  does  he  treat  his  patients  with 
the  most  shameful  rudeness,  but  he  does  not  spare  his  contempo- 
raries from  the  most  offensive  abuse.  .  .  ."  [Diary,  Septem- 
ber 3]. 

"  Dr.  Peters  is  a  very  amiable  gentleman,  and  I  find  that,  while 
he  avoids  the  GrundlicJiheit  of  the  German  teachers,  he  surpasses 
most  of  them  in  practical  teaching.  Take  a  long  walk  with  him 
after  his  lecture,  and  he  tells  me  that  I  am  quite  proficient  in  aus- 
cultation ;  when  I  tell  him  that  I  brought  all  my  knowledge  in  this 
particular  branch  across  the  waters,  he  is  astonished  to  find  instruc- 
tion    ...     so  complete  in  America.     .     .     ." 

"  In  my  leisure  hours  I  read  Zschokke's  works.  I  have  read  nearly 
all  of  them."     [Diary,  September  9]. 

Prague,  September  30,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Moses, 

On  my  arrival  here  on  the  twentieth  ult.  I  expected  to  find  a 
letter  in  the  Post-office;  in  this,  however,  I  have  been  disappointed. 

.  .  .  From  the  accounts  that  I  have  been  able  to  gather 
from  the  various  German  journals,  I  am  led  to  fear  that  the  diffi- 
culties at  present  existing  are  far  from  solution,  and  that  the  war 
will  be  more  prolonged  by  far  than  either  of  the  contending  parties 
had  any  idea  of  at  first.  You  will  excuse  me  for  disregarding  the 
warning  contained  in  your  last  letter,  not  to  write  anything  with 
regard  to  politics,  inasmuch  as  you  will  notice  that  it  is  my  purpose 
rather  to  elicit  information  from  you  than  to  force  upon  you  an  ex- 
pression of  my  views.  I  expect  to  remain  here  until  the  sixth  or 
tenth  of  October,  when  I  shall  start  for  Vienna,  where  the  winter 
session  of  the  University  commences  on  the  fifteenth     .     .     .     My 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  77 

short  sojourn  here  has  been  both  pleasantly  and  profitably  spent. 
I  have  been  engaged  in  the  study  of  midwifery  and  of  the  diseases 
of  the  chest,  for  which  the  hospitals  of  Prague  offer  special  advan- 
tages.    .     .     . 

Prag,  September  30,  1861. 
Liebe  Mutter, 

.  .  .  Wie  oft  lenhen  sich  meine  Gedanken  zu  Dir.  Mit 
welchem  Entzucken  sehe  icli  dem  AugenhlicJc  entgegen,  wann  ich 
dich  ivieder  umarmen  darf.  Was  fur  ein  gottUches  Vergniigen  hast 
Du  mir  vor  einigen  Ahenden  hereitet.  Du,  liebe  Mutter,  hamst 
mir  im  Traume  vor,  Ich  war  an  Deiner  Seite,  und  von  Deiner 
mutterlichen  ZdrtlichTceit  wmgehen.  Die  traurigen  Zeiten  waren 
voriiher,  and  Du  warst  wieder  hei  voller  Oesundheit.  Du  gabst 
mir  den  besten  Bath  fiir  die  ZuTcunft,  und  indem  ich  versprach, 
ihm  zu  folgen,  driicJcte  ich  einen  Ku£S  auf  Deine  Lippen, —  so  er- 
wachte  ich.  Gehe  es  Gott  dass  die  WirklichJceit  diesen  schonen 
Traum  nicht  nachstehen  wird.  Ich  glaube  nicht,  dass  ich  mich 
in  meiner  Abwesenheit  viel  gedndert  habe,  doch  bezweifle  ich 
nicht,  dass  Du  Gelegenheit  finden  wirst,  ein  Wortchen  Tachlis 
[niitzlichen  Raf]  mit  mir  zu  sprechen  und  freue  mich  schon  jetzt, 
es  zu  horen." 

On  October  7  he  left  for  Vienna.  "  Our  coupe  is  crowded. 
Opposite  me  there  is  a  gentleman  from  Carlsbad  who  wishes  to 
speak  English.  He  has  great  difficulty.  As  he  seems  to  prefer  for- 
eign languages,  I  speak  Frencii  with  him."  [Diary].  In  Vienna 
he  lost  no  time  in  seeking  the  University  to  arrange  for  courses. 
He  took  the  following:  Ophthalmology,  Professor  Arlt;  Topograph- 
ical Anatomy,  Professor  Hyrtl;  Obstetrics,  Professor  Braun;  Der- 
matology, Professor  Oppolzer.  Of  these  men  Arlt  left  the  deepest 
impression  upon  my  father.  The  great  Viennese  ophthalmologist 
stood  second  only  to  Grsefe  in  his  admiration  and  regard.  He  con- 
sidered Arlt  the  more  skilful  operator ;  Grgef e,  the  greater  genius. 


\ 


78  Aakon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Vienna,  October  23,  1861. 
Dear  Father, 

I  left  Prague  on  the  7t]i  and  arrived  here  after  a  twelve  hours' 
ride.  .  .  .  Already  on  the  day  of  my  arrival  here  I  engaged  a 
room  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  hospital,  and  in  a  few  days  I  was 
prepared  to  attend  the  lectures,  which  had  then  just  commenced. 
I  am  quite  comfort-ably  fixed  here.  .  .  .  Vienna  is  certainly  a 
very  fine  place,  and  its  animated  appearance  reminds  me  strongly 
of  Paris.  The  people  are  much  more  sociable  here  than  in  the 
North  of  Germany,  but  I  find  them  considerably  less  refined.  They 
speak  horrible  German,  very  similar  to  the  Bavarian  dialect.  To 
my  great  surprise,  I  noticed  that  several  of  the  professors  cling  to 
this  dialect.  The  professors  here  generally  present  a  slovenly  ap- 
pearance, which  contrasts  strongly  with  the  dignified  exterior  of  the 
professors  in  Berlin,  Paris,  and  in  our  own  country.  The  medical 
school  of  Vienna  justly  bears  the  reputation  of  being  the  first  in 
the  world.  Its  advantages  consist  not  only  in  the  size  of  its  hospital 
and  in  the  material  over  which  it  has  command,  but  in  the  practical 
manner  in  which  it  imparts  its  instruction ;  in  the  latter  particular 
it  has  an  advantage  over  the  Berlin  and  Paris  schools.     .     .     . 

Vienna,  October  22,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Stern, 

.  .  .  I  am  convinced  that  a  reconciliation  can  never  again 
take  place  now  between  the  two  sections  of  our  country,  and  that 
sooner  or  later  a  separation  will  take  place,  after  more  or  less  blood- 
shed; and  therefore  I  look  upon  the  war  with  deep  sorrow.  The 
expediency  of  the  continuance  of  the  war  cannot,  in  my  opinion, 
be  based  upon  the  regaining  of  the  lost  states,  but  must  rest  in 
holding  the  doubtful  ones,  I  mean  Maryland,  Kentucky,  Missouri, 
Western  Virginia,  and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Should  these 
states  remain  in  the  Union,  they  will  learn,  among  other  things,  the 
great  advantage  of  being  an  integral  part  of  a  confederation  which 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  79 

is  based  upon  the  great  doctrine  of  indivisibility.  A  government 
resting  upon  this  foundation  can  work  out  its  happiness  and  pros- 
perity harmoniously.  Very  different  is  it  with  a  confederation 
whose  very  organization  renders  its  future  integrity  doubtful,  to 
say  the  least.  You  must  not  suppose  that  I  entertain  any  antipathy 
to  the  Southern  states.  I  regard  their  policy  as  suicidal,  and 
therefore  I  pity  them  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.     .     ,     . 

Vienna,  October  23,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Joseph, 

.  .  .  That  the  Americans  are  better  than  the  people  of  other 
nations  rests  solely  upon  conceit.  The  prosperity  with  which  they 
were  blessed  was  not  owing  to  their  individual  superiority,  but  to 
accidental  circumstances.  They  ascribed  their  happiness  to  their 
own  merits,  however,  and  were  thus  strengthened  in  their  conceit. 
The  troubles  with  which  they  are  now  overwhelmed  may  serve  as  a 
valuable  lesson  in  the  future,  and  the  war  may  in  this  manner  be 
really  beneficial.  There  was  too  much  "  rottenness  in  Denmark  " 
to  hope  that  things  would  go  on  harmoniously.  Heretofore  the  af- 
fairs of  government  were  left  in  the  hands  of  those  who  recognized 
in  it  nothing.  .  .  .  but  an  institution  offering  an  excellent  and 
profitable  means  for  the  exercise  of  rascality.  The  so-called  good 
people  were  satisfied  to  relish  the  milk  and  honey  of  the  land  in 
apathy,  so  that  at  last  it  was  regarded  as  a  wonderful  phenomenon 
to  see  an  honorable  man  in  office.  We  in  Baltimore  had  a  minia- 
ture picture  from  which  we  could  well  study  what  was  really  meant 
by  universal  suffrage  in  the  whole  country.  As  things  cannot  be 
perfect  in  our  corrupt  world,  we  must  be  satisfied  with  having  a 
few  less  evils  than  other  countries.  If  you  knew  how  things  were 
conducted  in  Austria  you  would  not  find  our  government  quite  so 
bad.  It  is  a  mistaken  notion  which  prevails  in  our  country  that  a 
republic  must  necessarily  be  good  and  a  monarchy  bad.     .     .     . 


80  Aaron  Fiiiedenwald,  M.  D. 

Under  date  of  November  14,  1861,  he  writes  as  follows :  "  I  have 
become  a  stronger  Unionist  than  ever.  ...  I  have  no  fear  for 
the  ultimate  success  of  the  government,  if  it  make  proper  use  of  the 
forces  at  its  command.     .     .     ." 

Vienna,  November  17,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Joseph, 

.  .  .  From  a  professional  point  of  view  I  derive  more  pleasure 
from  my  sojourn  in  Vienna  than  from  any  other  place  that  I  have 
visited.  The  advantages  which  the  schools  of  Vienna  offer  are  im- 
mense. Its  hospital  is  the  largest  that  I  have  yet  seen,  constantly 
having  over  two  thousand  patients,  who  furnish  science  with  the 
means  of  studying  all  the  "  thousand  ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to." 
While  I  am  anxious  to  learn  all  that  I  can  in  every  branch  of  science, 
and  while  I  let  no  opportunity  escape  me  whereby  I  can  qualify  my- 
self for  the  active  duties  of  my  profession,  I  am  devoting  myself 
particularly  to  the  study  of  the  diseases  of  the  eye,  which  I  com- 
menced under  the  renowned  von  Graefe  in  Berlin,  and  am  now  con- 
tinuing under  Professor  Arlt  of  this  city.  Partly  from  the  fact 
that  this  branch  has  been  little  cultivated  in  our  coimtry,  and  partly 
from  its  being  my  favorite  study,  I  should  like,  if  possible,  to  make 
it  my  specialty  at  some  future  day.  In  the  meantime  I  shall  not 
lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  I  must  commence  as  a  general  practitioner, 
and  that  it  is  my  duty  to  render  myself  qualified  for  all  my  duties 
in  that  capacity. 

Vienna  is  certainly  a  very  interesting  city.  Its  inhabitants  pre- 
sent a  singularly  motley  appearance.  One  finds  people  here  from 
almost  every  part  of  Europe.  The  conversation  which  I  sometimes 
hear  in  the  lecture  rooms  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  building  of  the 
tower  of  Babel.  Here  one  hears  German  in  its  various  dialects, 
Hungarian,  Bohemian,  Slavonian,  Polish,  Eussian,  French,  Eng- 
lish, Italian,  Greek,  Swedish,  Dutch  and  many  other  lan- 
guages.    .     .     . 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.    81 

The  Viennese  are  a  peculiar  sort  of  people,  good  natured  enough, 
to  be  sure,  but  stupid;  and  they  do  not  come  up  by  far  to  the  Ger- 
man standard  of  refinement.  A  fact  which  has  particularly  struck 
me  is  that  the  distinct  line  of  demarcation  existing  between  the 
classes  of  North  Germany,  which  will  enable  one  to  determine  at  a 
glance  whether  persons  with  whom  you  come  in  contact  belong  to 
the  educated  or  to  the  benighted  classes  of  society,  is  entirely  want- 
ing here.  The  scholar  adheres  to  the  Viennese  dialect  with  the 
same  tenacity  that  the  besotted  cab-driver  does,  and  the  shirt  of  the 
former  is  hardly  cleaner  than  that  of  the  latter.  An  American 
friend  of  mine  here  maintains  that  he  can  distinguish  the  various 
nationalities  by  the  degree  of  cleanliness  of  their  shirts.  He  con- 
tends that  when  a  person  appears  in  a  clean  shirt,  he  must  be  either 
an  American  or  an  Englishman,  while  the  other  nationalities  of 
Europe  satisfy  themselves  with  a  more  limited  indulgence  in  clean 
linen;  as  for  the  Wiener,  he  thinks  it  is  the  least  pressing  of  all  his 
wants.  Though  he  exaggerates,  there  is  nevertheless  much  truth 
in  what  he  says.     .     .     . 

The  civility  which  one  observes  here  is  strongly  impregnated 
with  servility.  The  lower  classes  express  their  gratitude  by  kissing 
the  hand,  or  by  simply  saying,  "  Kiiss  die  Hand."  ...  It 
would  be  very  uncivil  if  he  said,  "Ich  danke."  They  address  one 
as  "  Gnddiger  Kerr''  "  Eure  Gnaden,"  "  Bitte  unterthdnigst,"  and 
the  like.     [Diary]. 

Vienna,  December  5,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Moses, 

.  .  .  Though  I  cannot  find  the  least  justification  for  the 
Southern  cause,  I  find  it  quite  natural  that  the  Southerners  should 
display  the  intense  enthusiasm  which  you  describe  in  fighting  the 
Federal  forces.  This  is  not  the  first  time  in  the  world's  history  that 
passion  has  proven  stronger  than  good  sense.  .  .  .  My  opinions 
on  the  present  troubles  have  not  changed  in  the  least,  and  I  still 


82  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

hope  for  the  restoration  of  the  Union.  It  would  occupy  too  much 
space  if  I  attempted  to  give  you  reasons  for  my  views,  and  as  they 
would  perhaps  not  prove  palatable  to  you,  I  can  dispense  with  it 
the  more  readily. 

Vienna,  December  5,  1861. 
Dear  Brother  Stern, 

.  .  .  The  [Trent]  affair  has  produced  quite  a  commotion  in 
the  circle  of  my  American  friends,  for  you  can  readily  understand 
that  it  will  affect  us  individually.  In  case  of  war  our  harbors  will 
probably  be  blockaded,  and  those  who  have  not  a  snug  sum  on  hand 
will  have  to  starve  here,  inasmuch  as  they  will  not  be  able  to  receive 
remittances  from  home,  or  they  will  have  to  leave  here  precipitately 
if  they  wish  to  reach  home  at  all,  while  others  fear  that  they  will 
be  cut  off  too  long  .  .  .  from  communication  with  their 
friends.  I  do  not  believe  that  our  government  will  provoke  a  war 
with  England;  in  any  event  I  am  not  frightened  for  myself,  inas- 
much as  I  have  plenty  of  money  on  hand ;  besides,  we  shall  all  have 
time  to  decide  when  the  American  minister  at  London  receives  his 
passport.  In  case  England  chooses  to  satisfy  her  revenge  merely 
by  recognizing  the  Southern  Confederacy,  it  will  not  affect  us  indi- 
vidually at  all.  I  should  not  like  to  be  forced  to  leave  before  the 
winter  session,  which  lasts  till  some  time  in  April,  has  ended ;  but 
after  that  time  I  can  be  ready  at  any  moment.     .     .     . 

During  his  stay  in  the  large  cities  in  Europe  he  often  mentions 
his  visits  to  the  opera,  which  afforded  him  great  pleasure.  He  was  a 
lover  of  music,  and  had  a  good  ear.  He  was  especially  fond  of 
Jewish  melodies,  and,  like  his  father,  could  sing  them  well. 

In  the  spring  of  1862  he  took  lessons  in  Italian  for  about  two 
months,  in  order  to  prepare  himself  for  a  short  trip  to  Italy.'     The 

'Thirty-six  years  later,  in  a  letter  dated  Milan,  July  11,  1898,  he 
writes:  "I  can  read  the  accounts  [of  the  war]  in  the  Italian  papers 
pretty  well.  It  would  probably  amuse  you  to  hear  me  translating  the 
news  to  mamma." 


Student  Days  in  Paris,  Prague,  and  Vienna.  83 

winter  semester  in  Vienna  ended  in  the  latter  part  of  April,  and  he 
proceeded  to  Venice,  where  he  spent  several  days,  thence  going  on  to 
Padua,  Verona,  Turin,  and  Milan.  Then  journeying  to  England 
by  way  of  Paris,  he  arrived  in  London  about  May  16.  Here  he  re- 
mained a  month,  spending  almost  all  of  his  time  in  the  hospitals, 
but  finding  time  to  visit  the  Exposition  then  in  progress.  On  June 
18  he  sailed  for  home,  landing  at  New  York  early  in  July.  He  re- 
turned to  Baltimore,  and  immediately  began  the  practice  of  the  pro- 
fession for  which  he  had  so  thoroughly  prepared  himself. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Practice  and  Personality. 

At  the  time  of  my  father's  return  to  Baltimore,  in  July,  1862, 
there  were  in  the  city  no  physicians  specially  trained  in  the  treat- 
ment of  diseases  of  the  eye.  Dr.  George  Prick,  a  well-known  oph- 
thalmologist, had  left  the  city  about  twenty  years  before,  and  had 
found  no  successors.  No  special  instruction  in  ophthalmology  was 
given  at  the  University  of  Maryland  at  that  period,  and  my  father, 
who  had  enjoyed  the  greatest  advantages  then  open  to  the  medical 
profession  to  attain  proficiency  in  that  subject,  naturally  thought  of 
becoming  an  eye  specialist.  Conditions  at  that  time,  and  especially 
the  breadth  of  his  interest  in  medical  science,  however,  prevented 
him  from  limiting  his  sphere  of  activity.  He  opened  an  office  at 
the  house  of  his  parents,  111  (now  1111)  East  Baltimore  Street, 
as  a  general  practitioner,  though  during  the  whole  of  his  career  he 
made  a  specialty  of  ophthalmology.  The  continuance  of  his  studies 
occupied  the  abundant  leisure  which  he  had  at  that  time.  He 
worked  chiefly  upon  the  eye,  getting  practice  by  operating  upon 
the  eyes  of  animals,  especially  of  rabbits.  The  following  letter  gives 
an  idea  of  his  circumstances  at  this  time : 

Baltimore,  September  5,  1862. 
.  .  .  Sometimes  I  get  quite  out  of  patience  on  account  of  not 
having  more  to  do.  I  was  thinking  of  trying  to  get  a  position  in 
one  of  the  military  hospitals  here;  but,  on  maturer  reflection,  I 
have  given  up  the  idea,  for  I  should  be  compelled  to  neglect  the 
practice  that  I  shall  get :  besides,  the  advantages  of  such  a  position 
could  be  only  temporary.     .     .     . 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 

iS6s 


who  h^. 


ajAWnaaami  i/ioaaa 


Practice  and  Personality.  85 

As  this  extract  indicates,  the  war  was  uppermost  in  the  public 
mind  at  that  day.  An  idea  of  the  state  of  Baltimore  during  the 
eventful  month  of  September,  1862,  may  be  gathered  from  the  fol- 
lowiug  excerpts  from  letters. 

Baltimore,  September  5,  1862. 
...     There  is  a  rumor  in  town  to-day  that  the  rebels  have  in- 
vaded Maryland,   and  there   is  great  excitement  here  in   conse- 
quence.    .     .     . 

Baltimore,  September  8,  1862. 
.     .     .     It  is  really  humiliating  to  listen  to  the  exultation  of  the 
Southern  sympathisers.     There  has  been  considerable  excitement 
since  the  Eebels  occupied  Frederick.     .     .     . 

He  had  become  more  and  more  attached  to  the  Eepublican  party, 
the  local  members  of  which  at  that  time  constituted  an  unpopular 
minority,  especially  among  my  father's  associates. 

Baltimore,  September  9,  1862. 
.  .  .  These  are  miserable  times  here  now.  The  invader  is 
upon  us,  and  still  we  hear  nothing  publidi/  of  his  approach.  The 
news  offices  are  compelled  to  keep  their  bulletin-boards  within  doors 
to  prevent  excitement  on  the  street.  When  the  news  came  that  the 
rebels  had  taken  possession  of  Frederick,  there  was  considerable  of  a 
fight  before  the  "  Clipper  "  office.  You  know  that  the  rowdy  faction 
of  the  Know-nothing  party  has  attached  itself  to  the  Union  party 
here,  and,  instead  of  arming  and  meeting  the  foe  as  they  should, 
they  threaten  to  wreak  their  vengeance  on  the  secessionists  here. 
They  are,  I  believe,  the  most  cowardly  set  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
The  papers  tell  us  nothing  in  regard  to  the  movements  made  by  the 
government  to  intercept  Jackson's  march,  but  I  have  learned  from 
a  gentleman  from  Washington  that  McClellan  and  Burnside  started 


86  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

from  Washington  on  Sunday  witli  over  fifty  thousand  men.  I  am 
really  getting  discouraged  at  the  manner  in  which  the  war  has  been 
managed,  and  I  am  beginning  to  think  it  would  be  more  expedient 
to  give  up  to  the  Southerners  than  to  slaughter  so  many  thousands 
uselessly.  In  spite  of  the  good  cause  the  North  is  fighting  for  and 
the  many  thousands  rushing  under  arms  to  support  that  cause,  and 
all  the  resources  which  the  Union  can  command,  the  South  must 
triumph  if  ...  a  little  brains  is  not  sent  to  "Washington  and 
to  the  heads  of  the  armies  very  soon.     .     .     . 

Somewhat  later  a  temporary  hospital  for  the  wounded  soldiers, 
both  Union  and  Confederate,  who  passed  through  Baltimore,  was 
opened  on  Central  Avenue,  and  my  father  gave  up  to  it  much  of 
his  time,  visiting  the  injured  day  and  night. 

On  June  14,  1863,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Bamberger,  his  en- 
gagement to  whom  has  been  mentioned.  There  was  a  quiet  home 
wedding  at  the  house  of  the  bride's  parents,  on  North  Eutaw  Street, 
near  Lexington.  After  the  ceremony,  which  was  performed  by  the 
Eeverend  Joseph  Leucht,  husband  and  wife  went  immediately  to 
their  modest  home,  then  numbered  65  East  Fayette  Street,  between 
Exeter  and  East  Streets. 

A  few  months  after  the  wedding  my  father  was  placed  under 
arrest  on  the  charge  of  having  run  the  blockade  and  aided  the 
South.  The  arrest  was  either  a  mistake  or  a  ruse,  as  one  of  his 
brothers  was  at  that  time  serving  in  the  Confederate  army.  My 
father  spent  one  night  in  a  cell  in  the  "  Slaves'  Prison,"  a  building 
at  the  corner  of  Eutaw  and  Camden  Streets,  used  at  one  time  for 
the  confinement  of  negroes.  The  next  morning  he  was  brought 
before  Colonel  Fish,  then  in  command,  a  soldier  reputed  to  be  an 
unscrupulous  scoundrel,  who  tried  to  browbeat  him  into  incriminat- 
ing his  brother. 

My  father  faced  him  coolly  and  fearlessly,  indignantly  refusing 
to  answer  any  questions  concerning  his  brother's  affairs  with  the 


Practice  and  Personality.  87 

retort,  "  Do  you  want  me  to  testify  against  my  brother  ?"  He  ob- 
tained his  discharge  the  same  day  through  the  influence  of  friends, 
who  proved  that  he  was  innocent  of  the  charges  against  him  and 
was,  moreover,  a  stanch  Union  man.  The  trouble  and  anxiety 
this  incident  occasioned  the  young  wife  can  readily  be  imagined. 

Shortly  after  this  time  my  mother  was  further  distressed  by  sev- 
eral robberies,  which  so  disturbed  her  that  she  became  quite  ill.  As 
a  result,  the  house  on  East  Fayette  Street  was  given  up,  and  the 
young  couple  went  to  live  for  a  time  with  my  mother's  parents, 
while  my  father  again  opened  his  office  at  his  father's  house.  He 
soon  set  about  finding  another  house,  and  a  few  months  later  pur- 
chased a  home  at  what  was  then  126  (now  1208)  East  Baltimore 
Street. 

Not  long  after  he  writes: 

Baltimore,  September  23,  1864. 
Dear  Brothers  Isaac  and  Moses, 

I  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  you  that  Bertha  was  delivered 
of  a  fine  boy  on  Wednesday  morning  (September  21).  .  .  . 
The  little  fellow  will  be  named  after  our  grandfather  (Harry),  and 
I  hope  he  will  be  spared  us  to  do  honor  to  the  name. 

Four  other  children,  all  sons,  were  bom:  Julius,  on  December 
20,  1866;  Bernard  Daniel,  on  September  27,  1870  (died  June  3, 
1893) ;  Norman,  on  November  11,  1873 ;  and  Edgar  Bar,  on  Novem- 
ber 20,  1879. 

My  father's  practice  rapidly  increased,  and  he  was  kept  busy 
day  and  night.  On  returning  from  a  visit  to  a  patient  one  night 
he  came  to  a  mound  of  earth,  and,  being  very  agile,  instead  of 
walking  round  it  he  leaped  over  it.  Unfortunately,  he  fell  into  a 
deep  trench  hidden  on  the  other  side  of  the  pile,  injuring  his  side 
badly.  He  made  light  of  the  pain,  which  lasted  some  time,  and 
not  until  several  years  later  was  it  discovered  that  he  had  suffered  a 
fracture  of  the  ribs. 
7 


88  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

His  practice  continued  steadily  to  improve,  Dr.  N.  E.  Smith, 
Dr.  Christopher  Johnston,  and  many  other  professional  friends 
referring  eye  cases  to  him.  Finally  he  determined  to  move  up-town, 
selling  his  house  and  purchasing  another  at  88  (later  310)  North 
Eutaw  Street.  He  took  possession  of  this  house  in  July,  1868,  and 
it  continued  to  be  his  home  for  the  remaining  thirty-four  years  of 
his  life. 

About  this  time  a  serious  outbreak  of  small-pox  occurred  in  Bal- 
timore, and  a  small  temporary  hospital  for  Jewish  sufferers  was 
fitted  up  on  Dallas  Street  by  a  few  charitable  people.  At  this  hos- 
pital my  father  was  the  only  physician  in  attendance,  gratuitously 
devoting  his  services  for  several  months  to  this  arduous  and  disa- 
greeable work.  His  stern  sense  of  duty  alone  kept  him  at  his 
post.  His  whole  professional  life,  indeed,  was  characterized  by 
disregard  of  danger  whenever  the  welfare  of  his  patients  was  at 
stake.  On  one  occasion  his  friend,  Dr.  Augustus  F.  Erich,  came 
to  his  home  specially  to  remonstrate  with  him  for  applying  his 
head  to  the  chest  of  a  patient  who  was  suffering  with  cholera. 
"  Eemember,"  said  Erich,  "  that  you  have  a  family !  "  The  warn- 
ing was  needful,  for  he  had  already  suffered  severely  from  blood- 
poisoning  due  to  infection  of  his  finger, 

A  busy  man,  he  took  no  vacation  whatever  for  many  years. 
Summer  and  winter  he  was  at  his  post,  day  and  night,  and  never 
did  I  hear  him  complain  of  overwork  or  weariness.  He  would  usu- 
ally remain  in  his  office  until  ten  or  half  after  ten ;  he  would  then 
drive  out  to  see  his  patients  and,  later  on,  to  spend  some  time  at 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  He  was  most  conscien- 
tious in  keeping  appointments,  and  was  never  late  at  a  consultation. 

During  the  lifetime  of  his  father  and  mother  he  never  failed  to 
stop  daily  at  the  old  home,  usually  about  noon,  to  inquire  after 
their  health.  His  relations  with  his  wife's  parents  were  equally 
close,  and  a  day  rarely  passed  without  his  seeing  them.  He  was 
particularly  attached  to  his  mother-in-law.     She  was  a  dear,  good 


HOME,    310    NORTH    EUTAW    STREET 


post.     His  whole  pr  /ed  by 

di- 


T33flT8    WATU3    HTHOU    OtS    ,3MOH 


^ 


! 


Practice  and  Personality.  89 

woman,  and  he  loved  her  tenderly,  while  she  thought  no  one  was 
so  nearly  perfect  as  her  son-in-law. 

He  would  return  home  about  two  for  the  mid-day  meal,  after 
which,  if  possible,  he  would  take  a  nap,  which  rarely  lasted  longer 
than  a  few  minutes,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  called  he  would 
be  wide  awake.  He  enjoyed  his  naps  best  when  there  were  a  num- 
ber of  persons  in  the  room  talking,  and  neither  conversation  nor 
the  noisy  play  of  the  children  would  disturb  him.  He  would  then 
see  patients  in  his  office  until  about  four  or  half  after  four,  after 
which  he  would  make  another  round  of  professional  visits.  My 
mother  usually  accompanied  him  on  these  afternoon  drives.  She 
would  read  while  he  was  attending  his  patients,  and  while  they 
were  driving  about  she  would  tell  him  what  she  had  read  that 
was  of  interest. 

On  the  long  summer  afternoons  when  his  work  was  done  he  would 
often  enjoy  a  drive  with  his  wife  and  family  in  the  coimtry  or  in 
the  park,  and  nothing  could  exceed  the  pleasure  he  took  in  these 
drives.  He  was  extremely  fond  of  wild  flowers,  enjoying  their 
beauty  with  the  pleasure  of  a  true  lover  of  nature.  He  never  tired 
of  attractive  landscapes,  no  matter  how  often  he  had  seen  them. 
He  would  halt  his  horse  on  Prospect  Hill  in  Druid  Hill  Park  day 
after  day  and  year  after  year,  to  point  out  some  part  of  the  scene 
which  appealed  to  him.  His  delight  in  nature  was  a  reflection  of 
his  deeply  religious  spirit,  which  beheld  in  the  "honour  and 
majesty  "  of  this  world  only  the  clothing  of  Him  who  "  stretcheth 
out  the  heavens  like  a  curtain." 

The  following  letter  shows  his  love  of  nature,  which  has  already 
appeared  in  his  descriptions  of  scenes  in  Switzerland.  This  letter 
was  addressed  to  his  brother  Moses,  who  had  been  seriously  ill  for 
some  time,  and  was  then  traveling  in  Europe  for  his  health.  Moses 
Friedenwald  was  a  great  sufferer  during  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
and  many  references  to  his  illness  occur  in  later  letters.  He  died  on 
August  13,  1889. 


90  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Baltimore,  January  15,  1877. 
It  was  a  great  satisfaction  for  me  to  see  by  letters  received  from 
you,  that  you,  dear  Moses,  are  again  able  to  use  the  pen,  and  are 
not  altogether  at  the  mercy  of  your  amanuensis.  This  is  not  in- 
tended as  any  disrespect  to  you,  dear  Jane.  .  .  .  It  is  not  an 
unusual  phenomenon  that  a  married  man  is  not  at  all  times  per- 
mitted to  speak  for  himself,  but  it  is  a,gainst  all  rules  that  he 
should  not  write  for  himself  if  he  is  able  to  do  so.  We  have  there- 
fore two  reasons  to  rejoice  in  receiving  tidings  from  you,  dear 
Moses,  in  your  own  handwriting,  for  in  the  first  place  you  are  in 
full  enjoyment  of  your  prerogative,  and,  more  satisfactory  still, 
you  have  the  physical  strength  to  make  use  of  it.  Keep  on,  dear 
fellow,  to  get  stronger,  ,  .  .  Your  wonderful  feats  of  pedes- 
trianism  have  filled  me  with  the  pleasant  anticipation  of  not  being 
60  dreadfully  pitied  for  jaunts  that  I  am  forced  to  make  afoot  on 
Saturdays,  and  open  the  prospect  of  being  supplied  when  you  re- 
turn with  the  very  best  company  on  these  occasions,  I  promise 
you  in  advance  to  pick  out  the  softest  stone  steps  that  I  can  find  for 
you  to  sit  on  while  I  visit  my  patients.  To  afford  our  fondness  for 
pleasant  walks  wider  .  .  .  scope,  I  have  already  planned  that 
when  we  .  .  ,  meet  again  in  Druid  Hill  Park  as  in  pleasant 
days  gone  by,  we  shall  tie  our  horses  near  Swan  Lake,  allow  Jane 
and  Bertha  to  amuse  themselves  under  the  beautiful  trees  on  the 
hill  and  .  .  .  stroll  through  those  romantic  recesses  where 
only  those  can  be  admitted  who  can  afford  to  walk,  and  when  we 
have  seen  everything,  and  especially  what  no  one  else  has  seen,  we 
will  return  to  the  hill  and  report  to  the  mothers  and  their  children 
our  adventures,  which,  I  hope,  will  prove  so  interesting  that  they 
will  be  communicated  as  pleasant  traditions  to  our  great-great- 
grandchildren, I  have  a  great  temptation  to  dwell  upon  pleasant 
recollections  of  the  past  connected  with  Druid  Hill  Park,  and  to 
peep  at  the  beautiful  prospects  which  appear  to  us  in  the  future. 


Practice  and  Personality.  91 

The  cloud  is  beginning  to  fade  away,  and  is  gradually  making  way 
for  the  vivifying  sunshine,  and  now  as  you  are  snugly  seated  around 
the  fire  at  Hamburg,  and  lamenting  that  the  winter  ...  is 
especially  severe,  turn  your  thoughts  to  .  .  .  the  summers  that 
you  will  again  enjoy  with  us  at  our  loved  Druid  Hill  Park,  and  I 
am  sure  a  warm  glow  will  animate  you,  that  even  the  winter  of 
Hamburg  will  not  be  able  to  chill.  I  hope  you  will  be  pleased  with 
your  trip  to  Hamburg;  the  friends  that  you  will  meet  there  will 
prevent  you  from  feeling  that  you  are  strangers.  I  know  how  to 
appreciate  German  hospitality.  It  is  genuine  and  not  only  pleases 
for  the  moment  that  it  is  lavished  upon  one,  but  fills  the  distant 
future  with  fondest  recollections. 

The  remainder  of  this  letter  touches  upon  a  controversy  concern- 
ing a  minister  against  whom  the  charge  of  having  apostatized  be- 
fore he  arrived  here  had  been  made.  The  Jewish  community  of 
Baltimore  was  much  wrought  up  over  the  matter,  taking  sides  with 
great  feeling. 

.  .  .  Now  for  a  little  news.  There  has  been  a  grand  recon- 
ciliation on  the  summit  of  Mt.  Sinai.  You  know  that  twenty-two 
members  went  down  as  seceders,  and  the  others  came  near  going 
up  entirely.  It  came  to  pass  that  a  great  deal  of  thunder  was 
heard,  and  fire  and  smoke  were  spoken  of,  and  men  became  afraid. 
The  twenty-two  felt  the  enthusiasm  of  those  engaged  in  a  rightful 
cause,  and  the  thirty-six  found  that  the  thunder  and  lightning  and 
the  fire  and  smoke  did  not  come  from  Mt.  Sinai  of  old,  but  from 
themselves,  and  they  opened  their  eyes,  which  had  been  stricken 
with  blindness,  and  they  beheld  in  their  Eabbi,  Dr.  Jacob  Meyer, 
a  monster  even  more  hideous  than  others  had  painted  him,  and 
they  stretched  forth  their  arms,  saying  "Brethren,  return  to  our 
embrace;  we  knew  not  what  we  did."     But  the  twenty-two  heark- 


92  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

ened  not  unto  them,  and  the  thirty-six,  clothed  in  sackcloth  and 
ashes,  again  approached  those  offended  brothers,  and  they  spake 
unto  them,  saying,  "  We  will  undo  all  we  have  done,  and  all  amende 
that  you  will  command  us  to  make  we  will  willingly  make.  For- 
give us  this  one  time,  and  again  enter  the  bond  of  brotherhood/' 
The  hatchet  was  buried. 

Last  Saturday  Dr. delivered  a  sample  sermon  in  Ger- 
man, and  on  Sunday  he  repeated  the  dose  in  English  which  was 
published  in  to-day's  American,  and  which  you  can  read  yourself. 
If  you  can  find  out  what  he  means,  you  understand  complicated 
English  better  than  I  do.  I  think  the  candidate  has  a  very  good 
chance  of  becoming  the  spiritual  purveyor  of  the  material  wants  of 

the Congregation.    I  write  this  as  I  know  it  will  be  a  great 

relief  to  you  to  know  the  congregation  is  in  safe  hands. 

Thank  God,  that  I  have  not  been  infected  with  that  dangerous 
spirit  of  the  age,  which  questions  His  existence.  He  who  in  His 
goodness  has  shielded  me  from  the  pernicious  influence  of  the  small- 
pox and  cholera  and  yellow  fever  and  other  pestilences,  has  shielded 
me  from  this  greater  plague.  If  one  is  threatened  with  being  pos- 
sessed by  this  dreadful  form  of  skepticism,  he  will  easily  be  cured 

of  it  if  he  takes  into  consideration  that  the  Congregation 

could  satisfactorily  dispose  of  the  question  adversely  to  the  existence 
of  a  personal  God  in  about  twenty-four  hours,  when  the  combined 
intelligence  of  the  most  intelligent  congregation  in  the  city  required 
nearly  a  year  to  discover  whether  Dr.  Jacob  Meyer  was  Jacob 
or  Jacob's  brother. 

Heine,  in  his  more  sober  moments,  said  that,  when  the  learned 
spoke  of  atheism  in  language  such  that,  while  seated  around  the 
table,  they  were  not  understood  by  their  attendants,  it  had  some 
fascination,  but  when  every  shoemaker's  and  tailor's  apprentice 
talked  atheism,  then  atheism  was  tainted  by  the  smell  of  Lim- 
burger  cheese   and  shoemaker's  wax,  and  therefore  became  dis- 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 

About   iS/^ 


n,  and  v. 
means,  you  v  kI  comp 


aJAWi/13a3IR^    MORAA 


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Practice  and  Personality.  93 

gusting.  Atheism,  materialism,  rationalism,  and  the  like,  thus  be- 
came the  fashion,  and  fashion  is  inexorable  while  it  holds  its  sway. 
It  will  go  out  of  fashion,  and  the  same  folks  who  have  now  laid 
religion  aside  will  again  trade  in  it  largely.  There  was  once  upon 
a  time  a  man  in  Boston,  who  went  to  a  different  church  every  Sun- 
day for  many  years,  until  finally  he  became  a  constant  attendant  at 
one  church.  A  friend  who  had  observed  his  former  migrations  ex- 
pressed his  astonisliment,  and  inquired  the  cause  of  this  change. 
He  replied,  "  The  Eeverend  Mr.  Smith  has  fascinated  me  very 
much,  for  I  have  now  listened  to  him  for  years,  and  have  not  heard 
him  mention  religion  or  politics  once."  To  avoid  a  similar  repu- 
tation, having  said  as  much  about  religion  as  is  allowable  in  one 
letter,  I  will  say  a  word  on  the  political  confusion  in  this  com- 
munity.    .     .     . 

Eeferences  to  his  religious  views  have  been  made  in  the  earlier 
letters,  and  others  will  appear  in  later  letters  and  in  his  addresses. 
It  will  not  be  out  of  place,  however,  at  this  point  to  dwell  a  moment 
upon  this  subject.  As  we  have  seen,  my  father  was  brought  up  in 
accordance  with  the  traditions  of  Orthodox  Judaism,  and  he  re- 
mained a  consistent  observer  of  the  ceremonial  as  well  as  of  the 
spiritual  side  of  his  religion.  He  was  a  regular  attendant  at  the 
services  of  the  synagogue,  and  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  the  congregations  with  which  he  was  connected.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  and  an  officer  of  the  Shearith  Israel  congregation, 
and  later  joined  the  Chizuk  Emoonah  congregation,  which  his 
father  had  been  chiefly  instrumental  in  organizing,  and  in  1892,  at 
the  earnest  desire  of  his  father,  succeeded  him  as  president.  He 
filled  this  position  until  his  death,  and  it  was  during  his  incum- 
bency that  the  congregation  removed  from  the  synagogue  on  Lloyd 
Street  to  its  present  edifice  at  the  corner  of  McCulloh  and  Mosher 
Streets.     At  a  celebration  held  on  October  20,  1901,  in  honor  of 


94  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  connection  of  Eeverend  Dr. 
Henry  W.  Schneeberger  with  the  congregation  as  its  Eabbi,  my 
father  delivered  an  address,  in  the  course  of  which  he  said :  "  Faith 
has  the  inherent  quality  of  reproduction.  It  sinks  its  roots  deep 
into  the  human  soul;  it  grows  upward  and  upward;  its  branches 
spread;  and,  with  its  leaves,  which  remain  ever  green  and  drink 
in  the  heaven-born  light,  [it]  forms  a  canopy  which  offers  protec- 
tion and  safety,  and  finally  [it]  bears  the  fruit, 'n  nx  n;?Ti/ And 
thou  shalt  know  the  Lord.'  " 

My  father's  interest  in  Judaism  was  profound  and  intelligent. 
He  had  a  well-stocked  library  of  books  on  Jewish  subjects,  of 
which  he  made  good  use.  He  was  especially  well-informed  on  all 
those  Jewish  topics  which  have  a  medical  bearing,  and  wrote  a  vig- 
orous defense  of  the  Jewish  method  of  slaughtering,  taking  an 
original  point  of  view  in  emphasizing  its  humanitarian  influence 
upon  the  Jews  themselves.  This  article  was  published  in  the  "  Jew- 
ish Exponent "  of  September  20,  1901.  He  was  requested  to  write 
for  the  "Jewish  Encyclopedia"  the  article  upon  the  medical  as- 
pect of  circumcision,  and  delivered  at  Gratz  College,  in  Philadel- 
phia, on  January  20,  1896,  a  lecture  entitled  "  Jewish  Physicians 
and  the  Contributions  of  the  Jews  to  the  Science  of  Medicine,'* 
which  was  printed  in  the  first  number  of  the  Publications  of  the 
College.  He  was  interested  from  his  earliest  years  in  the  study  of 
Hebrew,  and  attained  sufficient  command  of  the  "  Holy  Tongue  " 
to  read  a  Hebrew  paper  or  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  with  ease.  A 
Hebrew  book,  usually  a  copy  of  the  Psalms,  always  lay  upon  his 
desk,  to  be  taken  up  whenever  occasion  offered.  He  could  compose, 
and  occasionally  wrote  a  letter  in  Hebrew.  On  one  occasion 
he  received  a  copy  of  a  Hebrew  work,  printed  in  Jerusalem, 
which  was  dedicated  to  him  in  terms  of  the  most  fulsome  flattery. 
Though  sincerely  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  Jews  of  Palestine, 
and  a  liberal  contributor  in  their  behalf,  he  deeply  resented  anything 


Practice  and  Personality.  95 

like  limnbug,  especially  when  it  wore  the  cloak  of  religion,  and  he 
returned  the  book  with  a  Hebrew  reply,  saying,  "I  should  feel 
ashamed  to  aid  those  who  resort  to  such  degrading  means  as  you 
have  done.  ...  I  return  the  book  with  the  warning  to  stop 
this  business,  otherwise  I  will  find  means  to  let  the  world  know  what 
you  have  sent  out  from  Zion,  and  what  is  the  value  of  the  words 
you  speak  from  Jerusalem." 

In  describing  his  visit  to  the  school  in  Jaffa  maintained  by  the 
Russian  Choveve  Zion,  he  wrote,  in  a  letter  dated  May  10,  1898, 
"  I  was  astonished  ...  to  find  how  well  I  could  understand 
[the  children],  and  a  little  sojourn  here  would  soon  enable  me  to 
speak  Hebrew  sufficiently  to  feel  at  home  with  those  who  speak  so 
much  Hebrew  here." 

He  frequently  attended  banquets  at  which  he  ate  nothing,  be- 
cause of  his  rigid  adherence  to  the  Jewish  dietary  laws.  This  cir- 
cumstance did  not  lessen  his  enjoyment,  however,  for  he  was  al- 
ways in  the  best  of  humor  on  these  occasions ;  but  when  he  attended 
Jewish  banquets  at  which  the  dietary  laws  were  not  properly  ob- 
served it  distressed  him  greatly,  as  the  following  letter  shows. 

Baltimore,  November  81, 1899. 
To  THE  President  and  Board  of  Directors 

OF  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society, 
Gentlemen, — A  short  time  before  the  annual  banquet  of  the  He- 
brew Benevolent  Society  in  1898  I  called  the  attention  of  a  promi- 
nent member  of  your  board  to  the  fact  that  due  regard  was  not 
[paid]  to  the  Jewish  dietary  laws  in  getting  up  the  supper.  It  was 
claimed  that  all  arrangements  had  already  been  made.  To  my 
great  mortification  I  found  that  the  same  disregard  characterized 
the  banquet  of  the  present  year,  and  I  therefore  present  the  matter 
before  your  honorable  body  for  your  serious  consideration.  I  have 
been  an  attendant  at  these  festivals  for  over  forty  years,  almost  un- 


96  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

interruptedly,  and  I  hope  I  am  not  presuming  too  mucli  in  re- 
questing you  to  see  to  it  that  the  Jewish  law  and  those  who  observe 
it  will  on  these  occasions  in  the  future  receive  due  respect.     .     .     . 

Nothing  touched  him  more  deeply  than  misunderstandings  or 
aspersions  of  Judaism  or  the  setting  of  Jewish  institutions  and 
particularly  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures  in  an  unfavorable  light.  The 
following  extract  is  taken  from  a  letter  he  wrote  to  Professor  H.  H. 
Boyesen,  who  had  delivered  in  Baltimore  a  lecture  upon  Scandina- 
vian literature,  in  the  course  of  which  he  made  some  remarks  my 
father  thought  not  quite  fair  to  the  Old  Testament.  This  letter, 
though  breathing  his  tolerance  of  other  religions,  maintains  a  vig- 
orous Jewish  attitude. 

.  .  .  Permit  me  to  say  that  the  Old  Testament  in  compari- 
son with  the  New  does  not  fall  short  in  the  lessons  which  it 
teaches.  .  .  .  Much  of  the  advancement  of  civilization  claimed 
for  Christianity  has  been  due  to  other  influences  and  there  have 
been  periods  when  what  was  called  Christianity  by  its  ardent  ex- 
pounders has  retarded  the  world's  progress.  But  Christianity  has 
developed  into  somethin^g  better  than  it  was,  and  it  will  continue  to 
improve,  and  so  will  other  religions.  The  Ibsens  will  rise  from 
reading  either  Testament  and  set  men  against  each  other;  while  the 
Bjornsons  and  the  Boyesens,  under  the  same  influence,  will  unite 
the  hearts  of  men  for  their  mutual  elevation.     .     .     . 

A  sympathetic  reply  was  received,  in  which  Professor  Boyesen 
disclaimed  any  intention  of  reflecting  upon  the  Old  Testament. 

His  bold  and  original  way  of  thinking  on  Jewish  subjects  is  fur- 
ther illustrated  by  the  following  account. 

Baltimore,  December  22,  1884. 
I  have  just  returned  from  a  Shakespearian  reading  which  was 
given  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University.     The  subject  was  "  Shy- 


Practice  and  Personality.  97 

lock;"  and  Professor  Bell,  the  reader.  He  commenced  by  depre- 
cating the  spirit  of  hatred  of  the  Jew  that  prevailed  at  the  time  of 
Shakespeare,  and  recognized  that  with  all  the  hideousness  with 
which  Shylock  was  portrayed  it  could  not  be  denied  that  great  in- 
justice was  done  him. 

He  read  beautifully,  and  in  his  interpretation  did  not  shear  Shy- 
lock  of  the  manly  spirit  that  Shakespeare  could  not  refrain  from 
awarding  him.  And  still  I  must  confess  it  was  not  an  unclouded 
enjoyment,  for  every  Jew  must  feel  instinctively  that,  notwithstand- 
ing the  great  literary  merit  the  play  unquestionably  possesses,  with 
its  dramatic  effects  and  its  portrayal  of  human  passions,  the  fact 
still  remains  that  it  has  immeasurably  injured  our  race,  for  Shy- 
lock  at  his  worst  has  been  regarded  as  representing  the  true  Jew; 
and  even  in  our  enlightened  age  every  Jew  attending  this  play  must 
feel  that  the  smouldering  embers  of  the  ancient  hatred  of  us  are 
kindled  to  some  degree  at  least,  if  that  hatred  does  not  rage  so 
fiercely  as  it  was  wont  to  do. 

If  we  as  Jews  could  see  the  same  play,  with  Shylock  personating 
a  Mohammedan,  we  should  be  better  able  to  appreciate  the  keen 
criticism  of  Heine,  who  recognizes  in  him  the  only  character  in  the 
play  who  exhibits  any  manliness  at  all.  We  should  realize  more 
fully  that  Shakespeare  thoroughly  knew  how  this  manly  spirit, 
spurned  and  humiliated  at  every  turn  in  life,  with  the  tradition  of 
persecution  in  his  mind,  with  the  grief  of  a  great  domestic  be- 
reavement caused  by  his  enemies  rankling  in  his  heart,  would  at 
last  break  loose  from  every  restraint,  and  give  full  scope  to  an  im- 
placable, uncompromising  hatred.  But  when  we  see  Shylock  as  a 
Jew  we  feel  that  Shakespeare,  when  he  described  him,  must  have 
been  somewhat  in  the  same  state  of  mind  as  when  he  travelled  to 
Bohemia  by  sea.  We  feel  that  he  did  not  know  the  Jew,  and  we 
have  a  right  to  think  so,  since  we  can  point  to  the  fact  that  history 
has  never  revealed  such  a  Jew. 


98  Aaeon"  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

We  may  readily  forgive  him  this  injustice,  as  it  evidently  pro- 
ceeded from  ignorance  of  the  Jewish  character,  and  not  from  a  de- 
sire to  vilify  it ;  for  he  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  the  persecutions 
Shylock  had  suffered.  He  shows  them  exactly  as  they  were,  Just  as 
they  appear  upon  almost  every  page  of  history,  just  as  we  have  seen 
them. 

We  could,  perhaps,  give  our  Christian  friends  a  better  idea  of 
what  we  mean  in  this  connection,  if  we  had  them  imagine  the  play 
translated  into  Arabic,  with  Shylock  as  a  Mohammedan,  and  played 
in  Constantinople.  I  hardly  think  that  their  applause  at  Shylock's 
eventual  discomfiture  would  then  be  quite  as  pronounced  as  it  usu- 
ally is.  Not  only  would  they  be  somewhat  fearful  of  their  safety, 
but  they  would  not  rest  until  they  secured  the  intervention  of  the 
foreign  powers  to  have  the  play  interdicted,  for  they  would  allege 
that  the  villainous  Venetians  did  not  represent  the  Christian 
spirit.     .     .     . 

While  maintaining  such  positive  views  upon  religions  as  have 
been  set  forth,  he  was  intensely  interested  in  every  advance  of 
science,  especially  of  the  physical  and  biological  sciences,  and 
encouraged  his  sons  to  pursue  these  studies.  He  spoke  with 
profound  respect  of  the  leaders  of  modern  science,  and  in  particular 
of  Huxley,  whose  address  at  the  opening  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  Uni- 
versity he  greatly  enjoyed.  He  deprecated  only  what  he  considered 
the  "unfairness  of  modern  thinkers  in  their  opposition  to  religion. 

He  was  a  sincere  lover  of  art,  which  he  thought  had  reached  its 
highest  development  in  the  sculpture  and  architecture  of  the  Greeks ; 
he  was  a  devoted  student  of  science,  which  he  considered  the  great- 
est contribution  to  civilization  made  by  the  moderns;  and  he  was  a 
faithful  adherent  of  religion,  which  he  was  firmly  convinced  had 
attained  its  noblest  expression  in  the  inspired  words  of  the  Hebrew 
prophets.  For  him  there  was  no  conflict  between  science  and  re- 
ligion; he  felt  sure,  as  he  often  said,  that,  with  the  progress  of 


Peactice  and  Personality.  99 

science  and  the  increase  of  our  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  nature,  the 
world  would  recognize  nature  and  its  laws  as  the  work  of  that 
Deity  whose  unity,  eternity,  and  omnipotence  the  prophets  of  Israel 
had  taught  humanity. 

My  father  led  the  quiet  and  uneventful  life  of  a  busy  physician 
and  found  his  chief  diversion  in  the  pleasures  of  family  life.  The 
trusted  friend  and  counselor  of  his  numerous  relatives,  he  found  his 
closest  intimates  in  the  members  of  his  household.  The  interest  he 
took  in  the  schooling  of  his  children  appeared  in  his  daily  inquiries 
as  to  their  progress ;  and,  as  they  grew  up,  disparity  in  age  did  not 
prevent  him  from  making  the  relation  of  father  and  son  one  of 
comradeship  on  a  footing  of  perfect  equality.  His  tender  and  af- 
fectionate relations  with  his  wife,  his  children,  and  his  grandchil- 
dren were  such,  indeed,  as  have  made  the  Jewish  home  a  proverb. 
He  was  interested  in  all  the  little  happenings  of  the  home,  and 
derived  enjoyment  from  incidents  which  might  have  annoyed  other 
men,  as  is  seen  in  the  following  letter : 

Baltimore,  August  17,  1882. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  Edgar  has  been  very  well,  but  quite  mischievous.  Yes- 
terday afternoon,  while  mamma  was  asleep,  he  got  out  of  his  cradle, 
took  down  the  band-box  containing  mamma's  new  bonnet,  and  sub- 
jected it  to  quite  a  post-mortem  examination.  I  was  asleep  at  the 
time,  and  was  aroused  by  a  terrible  shriek;  ...  it  seemed  to 
me  I  was  hearing  Shakespeare  recited,  for  I  caught  the  phrase, 
"  That  thou  com'st  in  such  a  questionable  shape."  I  got  up  and 
found  mamma  looking  for  the  pieces,  and  collecting  the  plucked 
grapes  that  had  been  strewn  in  all  directions.  "  But  there's  a 
divinity  that  shapes  our  ends,  rough  hew  them  how  we  will;"  of 
this  I  became  convinced,  for,  after  spending  considerable  time  in 
remodeling  the  debris,  the  thing  finally  assumed  again  the  shape 
of  a  bonnet.     .     .     . 


100  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

In  his  younger  days  he  was  fond  of  fishing,  but  later  he  rarely  in- 
dulged in  that  sport.  He  was  for  many  years  a  heavy  smoker,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  his  wife  had  a  great  aversion  to  the  smell  of 
tobacco,  so  that  he  never  smoked  in  her  presence.  When  about 
thirty  years  old,  he  witnessed  the  severe  trial  undergone  by  an  ac- 
quaintance of  his  who  was  compelled  to  give  up  the  use  of  tobacco. 
The  distressing  picture  impressed  him  so  deeply  that  he  determined 
to  give  up  smoking,  and  he  never  touched  a  cigar  again.  This  ex- 
perience was  in  striking  contrast  to  that  of  his  father.  As  a  result 
of  his  great  age,  Jonas  Friedenwald,  towards  the  close  of  his  life, 
suffered  with  failure  of  vision,  for  which  science  affords  no  relief. 
My  father  went  to  New  York  to  consult  with  Dr.  Knapp,  a  friend 
of  hiy,  concerning  the  case,  and  had  the  well-known  specialist  ex- 
amine my  grandfather's  eyes.  Knapp,  on  learning  that  the  patient 
was  an  inveterate  smoker,  advised  him  to  stop  iising  tobacco.  He 
did  so  for  two  days,  at  the  end  of  which  time,  finding  that  his  sight 
did  not  improve,  he  returned  to  his  old  habits,  and  clung  to  them 
till  his  last  day. 

As  has  been  mentioned,  my  father  took  no  vacations,  and  the 
first  out-of-town  trips  he  took  were  not  occasioned  by  the  desire 
for  rest  or  recreation,  but  by  his  sick  brother's  call  for  his  medical 
care.  Moses  Friedenwald,  because  of  his  illness,  was  often  com- 
pelled to  leave  the  city.  He  spent  several  summers  at  Cape  May, 
and  my  father  frequently  had  to  visit  him  there.  These  visits,  which 
were  the  first  interruptions  of  his  regular  round  of  professional 
work,  lasted  from  a  few  days  to  a  week.  His  enjoyment  of  the 
pleasures  of  shore  and  sea  appears  in  the  following  extracts  from 
letters  written  at  Cape  May. 

Cape  May,  August  6,  '79. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  About  twelve  o'clock  we  took  our  first  bath.  It  is  a 
beautiful  sight  to  behold  thousands  of  men,  women,  and  children 


Pkactice  and  Personality.  101 

playing  their  pranks  in  the  sand,  everybody  laughing  at  everybody 
else,  and  each  one  thinking  that  he  enjoys  himself  best.  The  bath 
is  exceedingly  refreshing  and  one  is  provided  with  a  most  furious 
appetite,  which,  at  Aunt  Betzy's  table,  to  which  we  were  cordially 
invited  for  dinner,  could  very  readily  be  appeased.  Here  one  is 
always  engaged.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  life,  music  at  the  hotels, 
promenading  on  the  beach,  and  a  hundred  other  things  to  gain 
one's  attention,  not  forgetting  the  mosquitoes,  who  paid  us  a  visit 
after  a  land  breeze.  They  made  themselves  at  home  immediately, 
and  showed  as  much  familiarity  as  if  they  had  been  old  acquaint- 
ances.    .     .     . 

Cape  May,  July  28,  '82. 

Since  writing  to  you  yesterday  we  have  spent  a  very  agreeable 
day.  This  place  is  delightful ;  it  is  just  at  the  height  of  the  season, 
and  everything  is  in  holiday  attire.  Music  everywhere,  people 
strolling  about  joyfully  while  members  of  the  gallant  Fifth  Eegi- 
ment  can  be  seen  everywhere,  giving  the  place  quite  a  martial  ap- 
pearance.    .     .     . 

We  tried  our  luck  at  fishing.  The  morning  was  not  very  favor- 
able for  the  sport ;  still  we  caught  a  respectable  lot  of  very  large  fish, 
which,  besides  the  pleasure  they  afforded  us  at  the  time,  furnished 
us  with  a  good  supper. 

The  night  would  have  been  passed  in  an  uninterrupted  sleep,  had 
not  a  serenading  party,  which  filled  the  air  with  loud,  if  not  the 
sweetest  song,  entertained  our  neighbors  to  the  right.  Negro  songs, 
among  which  "  Way  down  upon  the  Suwanee  river "  played  a 
conspicuous  role,  composed  the  program,  and  I  could  hardly  refrain 
from  chiming  in,  "  Oh,  how  my  soul  is  growing  faint  and  weary." 
And,  as  they  finally  did  grow  faint  and  weary,  we  again  passed  into 
the  sweet  oblivion  of  sleep. 


103  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Cape  May,  July  15,  '85. 
Yesterday  morning     ...     we  caught  some  very  fine  fish,  but 
I  must  confess  I  do  not  like  the  sport  as  much  as  Uncle  Mose  does ; 
to  be  sitting  in  the  boat  for  so  long  a  time  and  waiting  for  a  bite 
is  quite  a  tiresome  piece  of  busiaess. 

Cape  May,  July  34,  '85. 
What  a  delightful  morning,  cool  and  refreshing!  The  flag  over 
the  Stockton  indicates  a  sea  breeze,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before 
the  mosquitoes  will  beat  a  hurried  retreat.  Now,  that  is  something 
worth  talking  about,  and  no  one  will  be  happier  than  dear  mamma, 
except  myself  on  her  account.  And  still,  although  we  have  been 
much  annoyed  during  the  last  few  days  by  these  merciless  little 
pests,  we  have  enjoyed  ourselves  very  much.     .     .     . 

My  father's  work  as  a  physician  was  characterized  by  careful  ob- 
servation and  well-balanced  judgment,  qualities  which  made  his 
diagnoses  and  prognoses  sound  and  accurate.  His  excellent  mem- 
ory for  the  details  of  the  cases  he  had  once  treated  was  of  great  help 
to  him  in  reaching  his  conclusions.  The  neatness  and  exactness 
which  marked  his  work  as  a  physician  appeared  especially  in  his 
surgical  operations  upon  the  eye,  in  which  he  was  remarkably 
successful.  His  skill  as  a  surgeon  was  shown  notably  in  the  opera- 
tion for  cataract.  One  of  the  most  interesting  of  these  cases  which 
I  remember  was  that  of  his  own  father-in-law,  for  whom  he  removed 
a  cataract  when  the  patient  was  eighty-nine  years  old.  My  grand- 
father had  always  spent  much  of  his  time  in  reading,*  and  as  his 
hearing  was  affected  by  his  advanced  age,  the  dimness  of  sight  due 

*  In  1889,  when  I  visited  Schopfloch,  the  German  village  which  was 
his  wife's  birthplace  and  his  own  home  for  some  years,  the  only  infor- 
mation concerning  my  grandfather  I  could  gather  from  the  older  in- 
habitants was  a  tradition  that  he  was  so  studious  that,  after  he  had 
finished  a  hard  day's  work,  the  light  by  which  he  was  reading  could 
be  seen  in  his  room  at  all  hours  of  the  night. 


Practice  and  Personality.  103 

to  a  cataract  was  a  great  trial.  So  successful  was  the  operation  my 
father  performed  that  the  patient  was  able  to  spend  almost  all  of 
his  time  during  the  remaining  six  years  of  his  life  in  reading  ill- 
printed  Hebrew  books  in  the  smallest  of  type.  A  still  more  inter- 
esting operation  occurred  in  the  earlier  part  of  my  father's  profes- 
sional career.  He  operated  for  the  removal  of  a  cataract  upon  a  pa- 
tient under  chloroform  anaesthesia.  He  had  finished  making  the  in- 
cision when  the  patient  ceased  to  breathe  and  became  pulseless.  My 
father  immediately  endeavored  to  resuscitate  him  by  producing  ar- 
tificial respiration,  through  rhythmic  compression  of  the  chest,  but 
finally  gave  up  in  despair.  He  then  finished  the  operation  by  ex- 
tracting the  cataract,  began  again  the  attempt  to  produce  respi- 
ration, and  finally  succeeded.  The  next  day  the  sick  man,  who 
recovered  his  life  and  his  sight,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had 
been  reported  dead,  said,  "  I  never  knew  the  cataract  operation  was 
so  severe.    My  chest  is  sore  in  every  part." 

As  the  preceding  anecdote  shows,  my  father  remained  cool  and 
self-possessed  in  the  most  trying  emergencies.  Progressive  and 
ever  ready  to  adopt  new  views  and  new  methods,  he  was  quick  to 
see  the  truth  and  the  importance  of  the  modern  ideas  concerning 
antisepsis,  which  he  followed  in  theory  and  in  practice,  as  is  illus- 
trated in  the  following  letter. 

Baltimore,  December  11,  1887. 
I  got  ...  [a  prominent  gynecologist]  to  operate  at  the 
Hebrew  Hospital  this  morning  for  lacerated  perineum.  I  had  a 
little  talk  with  him  about  antisepsis,  and  he  thoU|ght  when  such 
surgeons  as  Keith  succeeded  so  well  without  antisepsis  it  went  to 
prove  that  too  much  importance  had  been  attached  to  it.  I  replied 
that  probably  he  proceeded  so  aseptically  that  he  could  dispense 
with  the  complicated  antiseptic  methods  that  others  had  em- 
ployed.   Dr. ,  however,  used  carbolized  water  for  his  sponges, 

8 


104  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

and  thought  that  he  did  all  in  the  way  of  antisepsis  that  the  case 
required.  He  was  very  much  pleased  with  his  operation,  .  .  . 
and  asked  me  to  make  a  digital  examination,  "  Well,"  said  T,  "  I 
told  you  that  Baltimore  surgeons  would  have  more  respect  for 
antiseptic  surgery  if  they  knew  what  it  was,  and  I  can  now  include 
you  among  the  number  who  do  not  know,  for  being  willing  to  permit 
me  to  examine  without  previously  disinfecting  my  fingers." 

His  fresh  and  original  mind  was  also  manifested  in  the  invention 
of  several  ingenious  instruments.  In  the  earlier  days  of  his  practice 
he  invented  the  eye  speculum  which  bears  his  name.  This  instru- 
ment, which  is  very  similar  to  that  invented  quite  independently  by 
his  good  friend,  Dr.  Eussell  Murdoch,  has  several  advantages  over 
any  other  appliance  of  the  kind.  My  father  also  devised  a  simple 
and  inexpensive  instrument  for  curing  club-foot  without  a  surgical 
operation.  He  used  this  apparatus  successfully  in  a  number  of 
cases,  but  never  published  any  account  of  it. 

He  kept  abreast  of  the  best  current  medical  literature,  especially 
that  dealing  with  ophthalmology,  and  gathered  a  good  medical  li- 
brary, which  he  put  to  frequent  and  profitable  use.  He  was  de- 
voted heart  and  soul  to  his  profession,  and  nowhere  does  this  devo- 
tion appear  more  clearly  than  in  the  letters  he  wrote  to  me  while  I 
was  studying  in  Europe.  There  was  scarcely  a  letter  of  the  two  I 
received  every  week  which  did  not  contain  extensive  comments  upon 
my  medical  experiences  and  observations,  questions  concerning  the 
methods  of  the  physicians  of  the  Old  World,  and  notes  and  queries 
and  criticisms  suggested  by  his  own  practice.  In  the  selections 
from  the  letters  which  are  given  in  a  later  chapter  these  portions 
have  naturally  been  omitted,  but  it  is  certainly  necessary  to  mention 
the  evidence  which  they  furnish  of  his  intense  interest  in  the  high 
vocation  to  which  his  life  was  devoted. 

Though  my  father  was  so  thoroughly  a  physician,  he  never  al- 
lowed his  character  as  a  doctor  to  obscure  the  fact  that  he  was  first 


,J«S'«?-.''-.,!l'-  i 


lie  in  nich  bea; 

a  id  very  i^n, 
..-..  _    ->.  ^iiend,  Dr.  Rai,:-,.v ..  .................  ,.<..  ....  ,..,...-  ....,.......^- ..  .■•■ 

any  other  applianco  of  the  kind.    My  father  also  devised  a  simple 
2  and  inexpensive  m-  uring  club-foot  without  a  surgical 

ixi 
O 

O 


mt>,  \n>'  '* 


,n  TO  w'l 
.  ..  malT   TV,  •,    _  _  __  :  jV</r  al- 

lowed acter  as  ;  was  first 


Practice  and  Personality.  105 

of  all  a  man.  In  his  intercourse  with  his  patients  he  never  forgot 
that  his  relation  to  them  was  no  mere  matter  of  business,  but  some- 
thing higher  and  holier.  He  received  the  rich  and  the  poor  with 
the  same  cordiality,  and  was  as  considerate  for  the  penniless  as  for 
the  wealthy.  He  was  less  willing  to  overlook  the  meanness  and  con- 
ceit of  some  of  those  on  whom  fortune  had  smiled,  than  to  excuse 
the  errors  and  weaknesses  of  those  who  knew  poverty  and  misfor- 
tune. Throughout  his  long  career  he  had  many  patients  among  the 
very  poor,  whom,  in  his  busiest  days,  he  would  never  turn  aside.  One 
instance  of  his  attitude  may  serve  for  a  thousand.  On  one  occasion 
a  poor  woman  came  to  him  to  make  a  partial  payment  of  a  bill,  and 
told  bim  that  her  child  was  unwell,  but  that  she  had  been  unwilling 
to  send  for  the  doctor  until  she  had  paid  her  old  debt  in  full.  My 
father  remonstrated  with  her,  and  the  next  day  she  received  a 
letter '  written  in  German,  of  which  the  following  is  a  translation : 

My  Dear  Mrs. , 


I  beg  to  send  you  the  enclosed  receipted  bill,  in  the  hope  that  you 
will  get  along  better  in  the  future.  If  you  should  have  need  of  my 
services,  send  for  me,  and  I  will  always  be  ready  to  come  whether 
you  are  able  to  pay  or  not. 

The  friendly  and  confidential  relations  in  which  he  stood  to  his 
patients  often  caused  the  latter  to  seek  his  advice  on  various  sub- 
jects. On  one  occasion  he  dissuaded  a  poor  woman  from  availing 
herself  of  the  services  of  a  certain  lawyer  of  unsavory  reputation, 

known  as  Judge  .     A  short  time  later  Judge  met 

him  on  the  street  and  demanded  in  a  menacing  tone,  "  Doctor,  did 

you  tell  Mrs. not  to  consult  me,  but  to  go  to  some  one  else?'* 

No  whit  daunted  by  the  blustering  shyster,  my  father  replied, 
"  Judge,  let  me  tell  you  a  story.    A  Pennsylvania  Dutchman  once 

"Recently  shown  me  by  the  lady  in  question,  who  preserves  it  as  a 
valued  keepsake. 


106  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

heard  that  a  friend  of  his  had  done  something  at  which  the  Dutch- 
man became  very  indignant.  He  went  to  his  friend  and  insisted 
upon  an  explanation.  The  friend  replied,  ^You  bring  me  up  to 
court,  and  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it.'    Good-bye,  Judge." 

The  apt  and  ready  repartee  which  this  incident  exemplifies  was 
a  marked  characteristic  of  my  father's.  He  had  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  anecdote  which,  like  Lincoln,  he  never  used  except  to  put 
his  position  more  concretely  or  to  cap  a  good  story  told  by  some- 
one else.  As  a  young  man  he  had  been  very  serious,  but  in  later 
life,  after  he  had  emerged  from  the  trying  environment  of 
his  youth,  his  jovial  nature  asserted  itself,  so  that  my  mother  re- 
marked that  he  was  the  "  oldest  young  man  and  the  youngest  old 
man  "  she  had  ever  known.  His  power  of  seeing  the  humorous  side 
of  things  sometimes  led  him  to  indulge  in  punning,  while  his  ability 
to  appreciate  other  people's  jokes  found  expression  in  a  hearty  and 
infectious  laugh  which  was  characteristic. 

A  patient  of  his  once  objected  to  the  size  of  a  bill,  though  he  had 
been  carried  safely  through  a  long  and  critical  illness.  My  father 
replied,  "  Why,  that  amount  would  not  have  paid  for  a  decent 
funeral — and  yet  you  are  not  satisfied !"  Once  my  father  woke  up 
laughing,  and  afterwards  related  the  following  dream  he  had  had. 
He  was  attending  a  reception,  as  it  appeared,  and  was  introduced 
to  a  great  many  strangers,  among  whom  was  a  minister.  The  lat- 
ter's  name  sounded  strange,  and  my  father  asked  that  it  be  re- 
peated. "  The  Eeverend  Mr.  Small-pox."  "  Why,"  said  my  father, 
"  why  didn't  you  have  your  name  vaccinated  ?" 

On  one  occasion  he  was  approached  by  several  ladies,  with  whom 
he  was  unacquainted,  for  a  contribution  to  aid  in  enlarging  the 

Baptist  Church.     He  replied,  with  a  smile,  "  Indeed, 

ladies,  the Baptist  Church  has  always  been  large  enough 

for  me." 

One  further  instance  of  my  father's  power  of  repartee  may  be 


Practice  and  Personality.  107 

given.  His  brother  Joseph  was  called  upon  to  speak  at  a  certain 
dinner,  but  declined,  saying  that,  like  Moses,  he  had  a  brother 
Aaron,  who  was  the  orator  of  the  family.  My  father  rose  and  re- 
plied, "  It  is  true  that  Aaron  was  always  ready  to  speak  for  Moses," 
and  then  added,  quoting  the  refrain  of  a  song  then  popular,  "  but 
'  Not  for  Joseph, 

Not  if  he  knows  it, 

Not  for  Joseph ! ' " 

He  often  recalled  good  stories  of  things  he  had  heard  or  seen  in 
his  early  years ;  his  memory,  indeed,  was  really  remarkable.  Once, 
when  he  was  well  on  in  his  teens,  his  mother  showed  him  an  old 
dress  of  hers  which  had  been  soiled  and  put  away  long  before.  He 
immediately  recalled  the  entire  incident  of  the  ruining  of  the  dress, 
though  it  had  occurred  while  he  was  still  in  arms.  Together  with 
his  exceptional  memory  he  often  showed  an  amusing  absentminded- 
ness,  due,  of  course,  to  his  intense  mental  concentration  upon  what- 
ever he  was  engaged  in.  One  summer  morning  he  started  out 
alone  in  his  carriage  at  an  early  hour,  in  order  to  avoid  the  heat  of 
the  day.  On  returning  to  the  house  several  hours  later  he  imme- 
diately called  for  the  driver  to  take  charge  of  the  horse.  The  driver 
returned  with  the  news  that  the  horse  and  carriage  were  not  at  the 
door.  The  only  inference  was  that  they  had  been  stolen,  and  the 
police  were  at  once  notified  of  the  loss.  Late  in  the  afternoon  a 
friend  inquired  whether  he  might  send  the  horse  home,  as  the  poor 
animal  had  been  standing  all  day  in  front  of  his  house,  several 
blocks  away  from  my  father's  office.  My  father  had  absent-mind- 
edly walked  home. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations, 

During  the  early  years  of  my  father's  practice  no  medical  society 
existed  in  Baltimore.  The  first  organization  with  which  he  became 
connected  was  the  Baltimore  Medical  Association,  which  he  joined 
in  February,  1867,  shortly  after  its  organization  in  1866.  With  re- 
gard to  the  organization  of  this  society  he  remarks,  in  an  address 
in  memory  of  his  friend,  the  late  Dr.  Andrew  Hartman,  who  died 
December  15,  1884,  that  it  "  was  called  into  being  at  a  time  when 
all  fraternization  in  the  profession  appeared  .  .  .  to  be  a  thing 
of  the  past.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  young  men  at  that  time  held  out 
the  hope  that  the  organization  of  a  good  medical  society  was  not 
an  impossibility,  and  this  enthusiasm  was  greatly  encouraged  by  a 
few  of  the  older  members  of  the  profession,  the  foremost  of  whom 
was  Dr.  Hartman." 

On  March  16,  1871,  he  became  a  member  of  the  recently  or- 
ganized East  Baltimore  Medical  Association,  which  later  became  the 
Baltimore  Medical  and  Surgical  Association.  He  also  attended  the 
meetings  of  the  Pathological  Society,  which  was  founded  in  1867. 
A  number  of  papers,  for  the  most  part  unpublished,  which  are  now 
in  my  possession,  were  read  by  him  before  these  societies.  (See  List 
of  Writings,  p.  353).  He  joined  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical 
Faculty  in  1869,  helping  to  resuscitate  that  ancient  and  honorable 
organization.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  its  proceedings,  his 
readiness  of  speech  and  broad  and  thorough  knowledge  of  medicine 
making  his  remarks  interesting.  He  contributed  many  papers,  a 
number  of  the  more  important  of  which  were  published.  (See  List 
of    Writings,).      There    was    scarcely    a   year    among   the    thirty 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.      109 

years  of  his  membership  in  the  faculty  in  which  his  name  did  not 
appear  on  one  or  more  committees,  and  he  received  in  1889  the 
honor  of  election  to  the  Presidency.  While  holding  this  office 
he  opened  the  semi-annual  meeting  at  Hagerstown  on  November 
12-13,  1889,  the  first  of  the  semi-annual  gatherings  since  regularly 
held  in  different  parts  of  the  state.  In  his  address,  among  other 
things,  he  said,  that  the  meeting  had  for  its  purpose  the  "  inaugura- 
tion of  a  new  era  "  in  the  history  of  the  faculty,  looking  to  "  the 
consummation  of  more  intimate  relations  and  a  closer  bond  of  fel- 
lowship between  the  medical  practitioners  residing  in  the  various 
districts  of  the  State." 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  faculty,  held  in  Baltimore  on  April 
22,  1890,  he  delivered  an  address  upon  the  "  Modern  Hospital,"  the 
subject  being  suggested  by  the  completion  of  the  Johns  Hopkins 
Hospital  and  of  the  City  Hospital  during  the  preceding  year.  The 
address  embraced  a  historical  sketch  of  the  development  of  hos- 
pitals, and  was  printed  in  the  transactions  of  the  association.  In 
1898  he  helped  to  organize  the  Maryland  Ophthalmological  and 
Otological  Society,  and  was  elected  the  first  president.  This  body 
later  became  a  section  of  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical  Faculty. 
He  was  especially  interested  in  the  library  of  the  faculty,  and  was 
active  in  bringing  about  its  removal  to  a  suitable  building  on  North 
Eutaw  Street,  in  which  his  portrait  is  now  to  be  seen. 

He  thus  became  a  member  of  every  medical  society  in  Baltimore 
but  one,  the  Baltimore  Academy  of  Medicine,  which  he  could  never 
be  induced  to  join.  This  society,  which  was  founded  in  1877,  and 
is  now  defunct,  limited  its  membership  to  physicians  who  had  been 
in  practice  for  ten  years.  When  pressed  by  one  of  its  members  to 
explain  his  refusal  to  join,  he  jestingly  replied,  "  Any  jackass  can 
become  old,  if  he  only  lives  long  enough." 

He  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  As- 
sociation, and  during  the  nineties  he  frequently  attended  its  annual 


110  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

meetings,  which  were  held  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  concur- 
rently with  those  of  the  Association  of  American  Medical  Colleges. 
Parties  were  generally  formed  by  a  number  of  Baltimore  physicians, 
and,  although  my  father  was  one  of  the  older  men  in  these  groups, 
he  was  always  one  of  the  j oiliest,  and  contributed  much  toward  the 
enjoyment  of  the  trip.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Ninth  Inter- 
national Medical  Congress,  held  in  Washington  in  September,  1887. 

In  1868,  in  connection  with  Drs.  Augustus  F,  Erich,  D.  W.  Cath- 
ell,  John  M.  Stevenson,  Henry  A.  Inloes,  and  Eobert  J.  Baynes,  he 
aided  in  establishing  the  "  People's  Special  Dispensary,"  located 
at  the  northeast  comer  of  Exeter  and  Granby  Streets.  He  was  the 
oculist  of  this  institution,  and  continued  to  act  as  such  for  about 
three  years,  until  the  dispensary  was  closed. 

In  the  fall  of  1873,  on  the  occasion  of  a  reorganization,  he  be- 
came the  first  professor  of  diseases  of  the  eye  and  ear  in  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  Baltimore,  which  had  been  estab- 
lished in  1872.  He  held  the  professorship  for  twenty-nine  sessions. 
Besides  filling  the  chair  of  ophthalmology,  he  took  a  leading  part 
in  administering  the  affairs  of  the  college,  being  for  more  than  ten 
years  treasurer  of  the  Maryland  Maternite,  which  the  faculty  had 
established,  and  for  eighteen  years,  from  1884  until  his  death, 
treasurer  of  the  college  itself.  The  books  of  the  institution,  kept 
for  many  years  in  his  own  handwriting,  are  models  of  neatness  and 
accuracy.  His  capacity  for  business  affairs  appeared  also  in  the  la- 
bors he  was  called  upon  to  perform  as  executor  and  trustee  of  the 
estates  of  several  of  his  relatives  and  friends.  In  connection  with 
the  professorship  he  was  ophthalmic  and  aural  surgeon  at  the  Bal- 
timore City  Hospital  and  the  other  hospitals  connected  with  the 
college.  He  held  a  similar  position  at  the  Nursery  and  Child's  Hos- 
pital and  at  the  Hebrew  Hospital.  Further  reference  to  his  connec- 
tion with  the  latter  institution  will  be  made  later. 

As  a  teacher  his  work  was  characterized  by  a  broad  and  catholic 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.      Ill 

view  of  the  field  of  medical  study,  with  a  total  absence  of  the  nar- 
rowness of  many  specialists.  During  his  whole  career,  indeed,  al- 
though he  devoted  most  of  his  attention  to  ophthalmology,  he  never 
ceased  to  practice  general  medicine,  keeping  many  of  his  earliest 
patients  till  the  close  of  his  life.  He  was  specially  proficient  in 
certain  branches,  such  as  internal  medicine  and  obstetrics,  and 
many  of  his  medical  writings,  including  some  of  his  most  important 
papers,  deal  with  the  relation  of  diseases  of  the  eye  to  diseases  of 
other  parts  of  the  body. 

It  was  his  custom  every  year  to  introduce  his  course  of  lectures 
with  an  address  in  which  he  gave  an  outline  of  the  subjects  to  be 
discussed,  emphasized  their  importance,  and  pointed  out  their  con- 
nection with  the  other  branches  of  medical  study.  On  several  occa- 
sions he  delivered  in  addition  before  the  faculty  and  students  the 
customary  opening  address,  introducing  the  work  of  the  school  year, 
and  one  of  these  addresses,  which  was  printed  by  the  members  of 
the  class,  will  be  found  in  a  later  part  of  this  volume.  Of  his  work 
as  a  teacher  one  of  his  former  pupils.  Dr.  John  Kuhrah,  says :  "  He 
was  always  interesting  .  .  .  and  enthusiastic.  As  he  grew 
older  his  interest  did  not  flag,  and  there  was  no  change  in  the  tone 
and  vigor  of  his  lectures.  He  was  always  ready  for  a  joke  or  a  good 
story  to  enliven  his  class,  and  there  existed  between  teacher  and 
student  a  very  pleasant  good  fellowship."  Many  of  the  witty  things 
he  said  have  perished,  but  a  few  examples  will  give  an  idea  of  his 
himior.  A  student  once  created  some  confusion  during  a  lecture 
by  continually  pushing  a  chair  about.  My  father,  handing  him  a 
book  containing  cuts  of  the  eye,  said,  "  When  my  little  grandson 
comes  to  see  me  and  makes  too  much  noise,  I  show  him  a  picture- 
book  and  he  becomes  quiet."  The  disturbance  ceased.  My  father 
added,  "  The  picture-book  has  the  same  effect  in  this  case  as  well." 
One  evening  during  a  quiz,  a  student,  prompted  by  his  neighbor, 
answered  a  question  incorrectly.    My  father  inquired  the  name  of 


112  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  obliging  neighbor  and  gave  the  mark  the  answer  merited  to 
him. 

On  one  occasion,  after  he  had  lectured  before  a  rather  disorderly- 
class  at  the  Baltimore  College  of  Dental  Surgery,  the  noise  made 
by  the  students  at  the  medical  college  annoyed  him  considerably. 
Finally  he  said,  "  There  was  once  a  man  of  such  bad  repute  that  at 
his  funeral  it  was  for  a  long  time  impossible  to  find  anyone  to  say 
a  word  in  praise  of  him.  Finally  a  man  came  forward  and  said, 
'  This  much  can  be  said  for  brother  Jones :  he  had  a  brother  who 
was  much  worse  than  he  was.'  All  that  I  can  say  in  your  favor  is 
that  your  dental  brethren  are  even  worse  than  you  are." 

At  another  time  when  his  class  became  unruly,  he  remarked  that 
their  conduct  reminded  him  of  an  incident  that  had  happened  to 
his  friend  and  fellow-instructor,  Dr.  Gundry,  superintendent  of  the 
Maryland  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  at  Catonsville.  At  one  of  the 
latter's  lectures  the  students  became  disorderly.  The  genial  in- 
structor merely  smiled,  thus  provoking  them  to  still  greater  up- 
roariousness.  "When  the  racket  had  subsided  a  little,  he  said,  "  Go 
on,  boys;  it  reminds  me  so  much  of  home." 

In  speaking  of  instruments  for  everting  the  eyelids,  he  remarked 
that  he  preferred  the  fingers,  for  they  were  always  "  on  hand." 
On  one  occasion  a  physician,  noted  more  for  his  skill  than  for  his 
good  looks,  remarked  that  a  brother  medical  man,  who  had  recently 
died,  had  taken  everything  at  face  value.  My  father  observed,  "  He 
must  have  had  a  mighty  poor  opinion  of  you." 

Nowhere  does  his  wit  appear  to  better  advantage  than  in  his  re- 
plies to  toasts  at  the  college  banquets,  at  which  he  was  sure  to  be 
called  upon,  whether  his  name  appeared  upon  the  list  of  speakers 
or  not.  Several  of  these  speeches  are  given  in  the  second  part  of 
this  book. 

A  student  once  asked  him  during  a  clinic  what  the  anterior 
chamber  of  the  eye  was.     This  matter  had  been  repeatedly  ex- 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.      113 

plained,  and  my  father  curtly  told  the  inquirer  that  he  ought  by  that 
time  to  know  what  the  anterior  chamber  was.  At  the  next  meeting 
of  the  class  my  father  remarked  that  his  good  humor  was  like  the 
aqueous  humor  filling  the  anterior  chamber;  when  it  was  lost,  the 
supply  of  it  was  readily  replenished.  He  then  expressed  his  regret 
for  his  abrupt  reply 

Such  incidents  as  the  one  just  related  made  the  students  feel  that 
they  had  in  him  a  sincere  friend,  and  many  of  them,  as  Dr.  Kuhrah 
remarks,  "  sought  his  kindly  advice  and  good  counsel."  He  came 
into  close  touch  with  the  students,  not  only  as  an  instructor,  but 
also  for  some  years,  during  his  early  connection  with  the  school,  as 
a  private  lecturer  on  operative  ophthalmic  surgery,  and  especially 
during  his  long  service  as  treasurer  of  the  college;  and  it  is  note- 
worthy that  he  never  had  any  unpleasantness  with  a  single  student. 
A  real  attachment  bound  him  to  his  classes,  and  some  of  his  best 
friends  were  men  who  had  been  under  his  instruction.  He  fol- 
lowed the  advice  recently  given  by  a  great  physician,  that,  if  a  man 
wishes  to  keep  young,  he  must  have  youn,g  friends.  He  gathered 
around  him  a  number  of  young  men,  for  the  most  part  students  at 
the  college  or  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University,  who  frequently 
visited  his  house  and  came  into  most  intimate  relations  with  him. 
Whenever  any  of  his  old  pupils  who  lived  out  of  town  came  to  Bal- 
timore, they  would  come  to  see  him  and  enjoy  a  good  talk  together, 
"  The  silent  influence "  which  he  exerted  they  regarded  as  "  his 
most  precious  gift  as  a  teacher."  He  taught  "  more  than  mere 
science."  "  Daily  contact  with  one  whose  thoughts  and  deeds " 
were  "  of  the  noblest  kind "  was  "  an  example  and  a  power  for 
good."    Such  was  the  impression  he  left  upon  his  students. 

He  was  chairman  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  college  until 
the  end  of  his  life,  and  was  most  active  in  advancing  the  interests 
of  the  school  and  in  improving  its  methods  and  its  management. 
Although  he  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  older  members  of  the 


114  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

faculty,  he  was  most  progressive  in  his  attitude  towards  proposed 
innovations,  and  no  one  was  more  active  than  he  in  bringing  about 
the  erection  of  a  new  building  and  the  acquisition  by  the  Sisters 
of  Mercy  of  the  land  necessary  to  build  the  present  City  Hospital, 
which  is  connected  with  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 

Even  more  important  than  my  father's  work  as  a  physician,  as  a 
teacher,  and  as  an  administrator  was  his  activity  in  bringing  about 
the  formation  of  the  Association  of  American  Medical  Colleges, 
which  was  his  greatest  service  to  the  medical  profession.  At  that 
time  students  were  graduated  by  all  the  medical  schools  in  Balti- 
more and  by  almost  all  the  schools  throughout  the  United  States 
after  a  two  years'  ungraded  course,  there  being  no  matriculation 
requirements  and  no  orderly  sequence  in  the  presentation  of  the 
various  subjects. 

The  need  for  a  more  extended  and  systematic  course  of  study  in 
the  medical  schools  of  this  city  caused,  at  the  su,ggestion  of  Dr. 
Eugene  P.  Cordell,  the  issue  of  a  call  for  a  meeting  of  representa- 
tives of  the  local  colleges.  Upon  this  call,  which  was  dated  Decem- 
ber 17,  1889,  my  father's  name  appears  as  President  of  the  Medical 
and  Chirurgical  Faculty.  The  circular  stated  that  "  with  a  view  to 
joint  action  on  the  part  of  our  five  medical  schools  "  it  was  "  pro- 
posed to  hold  a  meeting  of  representatives  of  the  faculties  to  discuss 
the  feasibility  of  introducing  reform."  The  meeting  was  to  be 
held  on  January  15,  1890,  but  the  absence  of  many  of  the  delegates 
caused  it  to  be  adjourned  until  January  23.  At  the  meeting  held 
on  the  latter  date  my  father  was  the  sole  representative  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  present.  It  was  proposed  that  the 
local  colleges  should  unite  in  adopting  a  graded  course  of  three 
years,  together  with  other  reforms.  My  father  opposed  this  action, 
as  he  feared  students  would  be  deterred  from  coming  to  Baltimore 
when  they  could  get  degrees  in  a  shorter  space  of  time  elsewhere. 
"  Professor  Friedenwald  said  that  he  was  commissioned  by  his 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.      115 

faculty  to  bring  before  the  meeting  a  proposition  for  a  national 
conference  for  the  consideration  of  the  reforms  suggested  in  medical 
education,  and  he  named  Nashville,  Tennessee,  as  the  proper  place 
and  the  next  annual  convention  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion as  the  proper  occasion  for  the  conference.  He  added  that  his 
faculty  did  not  regard  it  as  feasible  or  expedient,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, suicidal,  for  the  Baltimore  schools  or  any  one  of  them  to 
take  this  action  alone."  ^ 

This  view  he  had  vigorously  advanced  at  the  meeting  of  the 
faculty  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons;  he  had  con- 
vinced his  colleagues  of  the  correctness  of  his  position;  and  had 
been  delegated  by  them  to  pTesent  this  plan  at  the  meetin^g  of  the 
local  committee.  Here,  too,  his  view  prevailed  and  the  plan  to  ad- 
vance which  the  meeting  had  primarily  been  called,  that  of  intro- 
ducing the  proposed  reforms  in  Baltimore  alone,  was  frustrated. 

As  a  result,  circulars,  signed  by  my  father  as  chairman  and  by 
Dr.  Cordell  as  secretary,  were  sent  out  by  the  Baltimore  medical 
schools,  and  at  the  gathering  of  the  American  Medical  Association 
"the  meeting  for  reorganization  was  held  in  the  senate  chamber 
of  the  Capitol  building  at  Nashville,  as  announced.  May  21,  1890, 
Prof.  Friedenwald  presiding  at  the  opening.  A  permanent  organ- 
ization was  effected  by  the  election  of  the  venerable  Dr.  N.  S.  Davis 
as  president,  and  several  vice-presidents,"  ^  my  father  being  chosen 
first  vice-president. 

The  effect  of  the  organization  of  the  Association  of  American 
Medical  Colleges  was  to  raise  the  standard  of  instruction  in  medical 
schools  throughout  the  United  States.  This  result,  for  which 
American  physicians  had  struggled  fifty  years  in  vain,  was  brought 
about  at  that  particular  time  by  the  wise  and  vigorous  action  of  my 
father. 

*  From  "  The  American  Medical  College  Association,"  by  Eugene  F. 
Cordell,  M.  D.,  Maryland  Medical  Journal,  January  11,  1896. 
^  Cordell,  I.  c. 


116  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

This  summary  of  my  father's  professional  activities  would  be  in- 
complete without  some  reference  to  his  attitude  toward  his  fellow- 
practitioners.  Viewing  his  profession  as  a  noble  calling,  he  con- 
demned severely  any  infraction  upon  medical  ethics  on  the  part  of 
others,  and  set  for  himself  the  highest  standards  of  duty  towards 
his  brethren.  Throughout  his  professional  life  he  followed  the  in- 
junction of  Hillel,  "  That  which  is  hateful  to  thee,  do  thou  not 
unto  thy  fellow." 

Even  before  my  father's  graduation  he  was  interested  in  the  af- 
fairs of  the  Jewish  community,  acting  from  1856,  the  date  of  the 
organization  of  the  Hebrew  Ladies'  Sewing  Society  (of  which  his 
sister-in-law,  Mrs.  B.  Stern,  was  the  first  president),  until  his  de- 
parture for  Europe  in  1860,  as  secretary  of  that  body.  He  was 
deeply  interested  in  the  first  efforts  to  establish  the  Hebrew  Hos- 
pital in  1859,  and  in  1868,  the  year  it  was  opened,  he  was  appointed 
one  of  its  visiting  physicians,  becomin,g  oculist  and  aurist  in  May, 
1890,  when  his  increased  practice  no  longer  allowed  him  to  act  as 
general  visiting  physician.  On  this  occasion  the  Hospital  and 
Asylum  Association  adopted  resolutions  expressing  their  apprecia- 
tion of  his  past  services  and  their  satisfaction  that  his  connection 
with  the  institution  would  not  be  severed.  He  was  well  known  to 
all  the  inmates  of  the  institution,  and  especially  to  the  aged  who 
found  shelter  in  the  Asylum  maintained  in  connection  with  it. 
Many  of  these  old  people  he  had  known  from  his  childhood,  and 
they  respected  and  loved  him.  On  one  occasion  the  superintendent 
of  the  institution  asked  him  to  use  his  influence  to  quiet  one  old 
lady  who  could  not  be  induced  to  stop  bemoaning  her  troubles  so 
loudly  that  everyone  in  the  building  was  disturbed.  He  went  up  to 
her  room  and  asked  her  what  she  was  crying  about.  She  gave  hira 
a  long  account  of  her  sorrows,  which  were  mostly  imaginary.  When 
she  had  finished  he  told  her  she  was  quite  right,  that  she  was  so 
sadly  afflicted  that  she  ought  to  keep  on  crying,  and  indeed  to 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.     117 

scream  more  loudly  than  before.  She  did  her  best  to  follow  this 
advice.  The  wailing  went  on  increasing  in  intensity,  and  finally  the 
poor  old  soul  gasped  out,  "  Lieher,  herziger  DoJctor,  ich  kann  nit 
mehr!"  and  ceased  her  clamor. 

My  father  was  always  anxious  to  advance  the  interests  of  the 
Hospital;  he  suggested  many  improvements,  and  strove  to  induce 
the  directors  to  take  a  broad  and  liberal  attitude,  and  to  lessen  the 
difficulties  of  admission.  His  interest  in  the  institution  appears  in 
two  addresses,  printed  in  this  volume,  which  he  delivered  at  the 
Hospital;  the  longer  of  these,  which  was  printed  at  the  desire  of 
the  association,  was  made  at  the  dedication  of  an  addition  to  the 
main  building. 

I  cannot  give  a  better  idea  of  the  spirit  in  which  he  worked  for 
the  cause  of  charity  than  by  quoting  the  following  letter. 

Baltimore,  March  25,  1888. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  [This  evening]  I  had  to  attend  a  meeting  at  Mr.  Fried- 
mann's  house  on  Lombard  Street  in  the  interest  of  a  poor  woman 
who  is  an  inmate  of  Sprin,g  Grove  Asylum.  It  is  a  most  disagree- 
able, cold  night.  It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  it  is  hailing  or  rain- 
ing, and  the  pavements  are  very  sleety.  It  is  a  night  of  all  nights 
which  would  keep  one  at  home,  and  still  about  twelve  or  fifteen 
men  left  their  cosy  homes  to  look  after  the  interests  of  a  poor 
woman  who  had  neither  friends  nor  relatives.  "  Well,  the  world 
is  not  so  bad  after  all,"  I  thought  after  I  went  away,  and  I  rejoiced 
that  the  woman  would  be  taken  into  the  Hebrew  Hospital,  and  that 
there  were  enough  men  on  the  Board  who  would  not  be  restricted 
by  the  narrow  limits  of  printed  laws,  but  who  had  good  sense  and 
good  hearts  to  guide  them  in  their  decision.     ... 

In  1872  my  father  helped  to  found  the  Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum, 
and  he  became  a  member  of  its  Board  of  Directors,  retaining  this 


118  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

position  for  thirty  years.  He  was  closely  attached  to  the  Asylum, 
making  it  his  chief  object  as  a  director  not  only  to  make  the  life  of 
the  children  as  natural  and  homelike  as  possible/  but  to  make  it  a 
thoroughly  Jewish  life,  such  as  the  children's  parents  would  have 
wished  them  to  lead.  A  set  of  memorial  resolutions  sent  by  the 
directors  of  the  institution  to  his  family  emphasizes  his  attachment 
to  the  children  cared  for  by  the  Asylum.  He  was  for  many  years 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  education,  and  the  last  public  func- 
tion he  performed  was  the  distribution  of  prizes  at  the  public  exam- 
ination of  the  children,  shortly  before  his  last  departure  for  Europe. 

He  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  So- 
ciety, and  a  regular  attendant  at  its  annual  gatherings.  Though 
never  an  officer  of  the  society,  he  was  ready  at  all  times  to  place  at 
its  disposal  his  services,  which  were  frequently  called  upon.  In 
December,  1892,  he  delivered  before  this  body  an  address,  reprinted 
in  this  volume,  which  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  ever  made  at 
the  yearly  banquets.  His  voice  was  raised  on  more  than  one  occa- 
sion for  more  considerate  treatment  of  those  who  applied  for  relief. 

My  father  was  brought  into  close  touch  with  the  Hebrew  Benevo- 
lent Society  through  his  connection  with  the  Baron  de  Hirsch  Fund 
for  the  relief  of  Eussian  Jewish  immigrants.  In  1881,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  immigration  from  Eussia,  he  was  one  of  the  leaders 
of  those  interested  in  providing  for  the  reception  and  protection  of 
the  newcomers,  and  gave  up  much  of  his  time  to  aid  them.    From 

'  On  one  occasion  the  case  of  a  child  who  had  stolen  a  piece  of  bread 
from  the  pantry  was  brought  before  the  Board.  Several  of  the  Directors 
were  inclined  to  accede  to  the  suggestion  of  the  authorities  of  the 
asylum  that  the  child  be  severely  punished.  My  father,  however,  de- 
manded that  an  investigation  be  made  into  the  amount  of  the  bread 
the  children  received,  and,  as  this  amount  was  found  to  be  entirely 
insufficient,  he  declared  that,  if  punishment  were  to  be  meted  out  at  all, 
it  was  the  asylum  authorities  who  deserved  it;  and  the  children  were 
allowed  from  that  time  on  to  have  as  much  bread  at  meals  as  they 
wished. 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.      119 

this  time  on  his  activities  in  behalf  of  the  Eussian  immigrants 
never  ceased,  and  it  was  in  recognition  of  this  fact  that  he  was 
asked  to  direct  the  work  in  Baltimore  of  the  fund  established  by 
Baron  Maurice  de  Hirsch.  He  accepted,  and  invited  Messrs.  Moses 
E.  Walter  and  Elias  Eohr  to  join  him  in  the  committee.  Mr.  S. 
Baroway,  who  was  appointed  agent  of  the  fund  in  this  city,  con- 
ferred every  afternoon  with  my  father,  who  passed  upon  all  the 
work  of  the  committee.  All  the  voluminous  reports  sent  to  New 
York  were  written  by  him,  as  was  all  of  his  extensive  correspond- 
ence in  general.  The  work  of  the  Baltimore  committee  began  on 
July  1,  1890,  and  my  father  continued  to  act  as  chairman  until 
April  1,  1901,  when,  at  his  request,  the  work  was  given  over  in 
charge  of  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society.  In  1890  the  Hirsch 
committee  aided  the  Isaac  Baer  Levinsohn  Hebrew  Literary  So- 
ciety to  obtain  suitable  quarters  for  a  night  school  for  the  immi- 
grants opened  by  the  latter  body  the  year  before ;  and  a  committee, 
of  which  my  father  was  chairman,  supported  the  school,  which  did 
good  service  in  Americanizing  the  newcomers,  for  a  number  of 
years.  My  father  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  executive  committee 
of  the  "American  Committee  for  the  Amelioration  of  the  Condi- 
tion of  the  Eussian  Eefugees,"  an  organization  formed  in  New  York, 
on  September  23,  1891,  by  a  convention  composed  of  representatives 
of  Jewish  organizations  in  various  parts  of  this  country,  called  by 
the  Trustees  of  the  Baron  de  Hirsch  Fund  to  consider  means  of 
dealing  with  the  problem  presented  by  the  great  increase  in  the 
immigration  of  Eussian  Jews,  consequent  upon  the  increased  se- 
verity of  the  persecutions  in  Eussia  in  1890.  In  1892  my  father  or- 
ganized a  Baltimore  branch  of  this  committee,  composed  of  two  rep- 
resentatives of  the  Hirsch  fund,  two  representatives  of  the  Hebrew 
Benevolent  Society,  and  two  representatives  of  the  "  Jewish 
Alliance,'^  a  short-lived  organization,  formed  in  February,  1891,  and 
composed  mainly  of  Eussian  Jews,  the  object  of  which  was  also  to 
aid  the  recent  immigrants. 
9 


120  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Diiring  his  temire  of  the  chairmanship  of  the  two  committees 
my  father  disbursed  over  fifty-eight  thousand  dollars,  4391  cases, 
aggregating  10,534  persons,  being  relieved.  An  idea  of  the  impor- 
tance of  this  work  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  the  total 
number  of  Jewish  immigrants  landing  at  Baltimore  during  this 
period  was  24,095. 

The  character  of  my  father's  work  as  chairman  of  the  Hirsch 
committee  may  be  seen  in  the  following  account,  contributed  by 
Mr.  Baroway  to  the  Jewish  Comment  of  August  29,  1902,  shortly 
after  my  father's  death.  At  one  time  "two  shiploads  of  Jewish 
immigrants  arrived  from  Hamburg  and  were  about  to  be  deported. 
Individual  bonds  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  each  immigrant  were 
demanded  that  they  should  not  become  public  charges.  Such 
amounts  .  .  .  were  impossible  to  raise,  and  the  offer  to  pledge 
the  buildings  of  the  Hebrew  Hospital  and  Orphan  Asylum  was 
rejected  by  the  Treasury  Department.  Dr.  Friedenwald  had  a  busy 
time  then ;  he  did  not  rest,  he  could  not  sleep.  He  knew  the  return 
of  those  people  to  Eussia  at  that  time  meant  starvation  to  many, 
baptism  to  some.  He  neglected  his  practice  and  duties  to  his  family 
to  save  the  unfortunate  immigrants,  and  he  succeeded.  He  found 
some  influential  man  .  .  .  who  went  to  Washington  to  lay 
the  case  before  the  government,  resulting  in  the  release  of  the  immi- 
grants. I  remember  with  what  joy  he  greeted  me  when  I  brought 
him  the  message  from  the  Canton  pier,  '  Come  and  get  your  people.' 
It  was  a  great  victory  for  him,  and  had  he  come  that  day  into  pos- 
session of  a  fortune  he  could  not  have  been  (happier).  The  immi- 
grants did  not  know  the  particular  person  to  whom  they  were  in- 
debted, and  the  person  in  question  was  too  modest  and  unassuming 
to  claim  the  credit.  But  when  I  informed  him  in  later  years  that 
some  of  those  people  were  doing  well  and  were  prosperous,  he  en- 
joyed the  news  as  none  but  a  noble  man  like  him  could  enjoy  it. 

"  During  the  winter  of  1897,  when  a  bill  was  presented  to  Con- 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.      121 

gress,  requiring  that  immigrants  who  could  not  read  the  language 
of  their  native  country  should  be  excluded  from  landing  in  this 
country,  which  meant  the  shutting  out  of  the  majority  of  the  Eus- 
sian  immigrants,  who,  while  not  illiterate,  could  not  read  or  write 
the  Eussian  language,  it  was  a,gain  Dr.  Friedenwald  who  cham- 
pioned the  cause  of  the  immigrants.  He  sent  telegrams  to  all  the 
Maryland  representatives  and  senators  in  Congress,  and  made  his 
friends  in  other  states  do  the  same,  which  resulted  in  the  modifica- 
tion of  the  bill  so  that  new  arrivals  (would)  be  required  to  be  able 
to  read  any  (one)  language  (including  jargon).  The  bill,  how- 
ever, was  subsequently  vetoed  by  the  President." 

That  my  father  appreciated  the  important  bearing  of  the  Eus- 
sian Jewish  immigration  upon  the  future  of  the  Jews  of  America  is 
shown  by  the  following  letter,  written  June  16,  1889,  eight  years 
after  the  beginning  of  the  great  migration  of  Eussian  Jews  into  the 
United  States. 

".  .  .  The  Eussians  here  have  lately  opened  a  large  Hebrew 
school.  They  are  now  organizing  a  large  charitable  society  to  en- 
able them  to  contribute  their  share  to  the  general  charities  already 
organized.  They  are  becoming  an  important  factor  in  the  com- 
munity, and  it  looks  as  if  some  of  these  days  they  will  bear  the 
same  relation  to  the  German  Jews  which  the  latter  bear  to  the 
Portuguese  Jews.     ..." 

My  father  was  a  member  of  the  Hebrew  Free  Burial  Society, 
and  indeed  he  was  interested  in  all  the  Jewish  charitable  organiza- 
tions in  the  city,  as  well  those  maintained  by  the  more  recent 
arrivals  as  the  societies  of  longer  standing.  Most  of  the  non-sec- 
tarian charities,  such  as  the  Baltimore  Association  for  the  Im- 
provement of  the  Condition  of  the  Poor  and  the  German  Orphan 
Asylum,  numbered  him  as  a  member  as  well.  In  June,  1883,  he 
was  one  of  a  small  group  of  gentlemen  who,  in  order  to  give  em- 


122  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

ployment  to  vagrants,  formed  the  "  Provident  Wood-yard  Com- 
mittee of  the  Baltimore  Charity  Organization  Society."  Of  this 
Wood-yard  Committee,  which  later  became  the  Friendly  Inn  Asso- 
ciation, Mr.  Henry  Janes  was  chairman  and  my  father  secretary. 

He  took  a  deep  and  intelligent  interest  in  politics,  being  a  con- 
sistent Eepublican  from  the  time  of  his  return  from  Europe.  He 
never  held  political  oflBce,  except  as  a  member  of  the  short-lived 
"Eeform"  School  Board  nominated  by  Mayor  Hooper.  The  old 
School  Board  appealed  to  the  courts,  which  set  aside  the  mayor's 
action.  Only  once  did  my  father  take  an  active  part  in  a  political 
struggle;  on  November  3,  1897,  he  made  a  speech  at  one  of  the 
closing  meetings  of  the  campaign. 

His  activities  were  not  limited  to  the  concerns  of  the  Baltimore 
commimity,  but  extended  to  most  of  the  important  Jewish  organ- 
izations of  national  scope.  In  1886  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Jewish  Theological  Seminary  Association,  and  was  for  many 
years  one  of  its  vice-presidents.  Together  with  Dr.  Cyrus  Adler, 
he  established  the  Baltimore  branch  of  the  association,  of  which  he 
was  president  until  his  death.  He  was  most  active  in  bringing 
about  the  incorporation  of  the  Association  in  1902  with  the  Jewish 
Theological  Seminary  of  America,  which  resulted  in  putting  the 
Seminary  upon  an  assured  financial  and  scholastic  basis.  He  took 
great  interest  in  the  Seminary,  regularly  attending  the  meetings  in 
New  York.  His  attitude  toward  the  institution  appears  in  his 
letters.  At  his  decease  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Seminary 
adopted  a  resolution  expressing  their  "  sense  of  loss  at  the  passing 
away  of  an  upright  citizen,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  medical 
profession,  a  devout  and  conscientious  Israelite,  a  promoter  of  many 
worthy  establishments  for  the  amelioration  of  human  suffering  and 
for  the  advancement  of  sound  learning,  both  general  and  Jewish, 
and  an  officer  and  zealous  worker  in  behalf  of  this  Seminary."  In 
his   memorable   inaugural   address.   President   Schechter   recalled 


Work  in  Medical  and  Communal  Organizations.     123 

his  name,  among  the  names  of  other  departed  friends  of  the  Semi- 
nary, as  that  of  "  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman  .  ,  .  whose  in- 
terest in  the  institution  only  ceased  with  life  itself/'  He  left  the 
Seminary  a  bequest,  which  was  increased  by  my  mother,  and  the 
Directors  accepted  the  suggestion  of  the  family  that  this  bequest  be 
used  to  establish  the  "  Aaron  Friedenwald  Prize  in  Jewish  The- 
ology," annually  given  for  the  best  essay  upon  a  subject  announced 
by  the  President  of  the  Faculty  of  the  Seminary.  My  father  was 
also  a  vice-president  of  the  Union  of  Orthodox  Congregations  of 
the  United  States  and  Canada. 

In  1888  he  helped  to  establish  the  Jewish  Publication  Society 
of  America,  being  for  many  years  one  of  its  honorary  vice-presi- 
dents; he  was  also  instrumental  in  forming  the  Baltimore  branch 
of  the  Society.  A  resolution  passed  by  the  Society  at  his  death 
speaks  of  him  as  "  an  earnest  advocate  of  its  cause  and  a  stanch 
adherent  of  its  ideals,"  and  expresses  "  appreciation  of  his  services, 
of  his  lofty  personal  character,  and  of  his  .  .  .  devotion  to 
science  and  enlightenment."  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
American  Jewish  Historical  Society,  regularly  attending  its  annual 
meetings  and  taking  a  great  interest  in  its  work.  His  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  past  of  the  Jews  of  Baltimore  was  on  several  oc- 
casions of  service  to  students  of  the  subject.  On  June  10,  1888, 
he  was  a  prime  mover  in  organizing  in  this  city  a  branch  of  the 
Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  and  he  was  in  close  touch  with  the 
philanthropic  work  of  the  Alliance,  cooperating  in  all  their  im- 
portant activities,  such  as  the  relief  of  the  Jewish  sufferers  from 
the  Bessarabian  famine. 

The  catholic  Jewish  sympathies  which  appear  in  his  connection 
with  all  the  organizations  mentioned  are  most  clearly  manifested, 
perhaps,  in  his  connection  "with  the  Zionist  movement.  He  was  for 
years  a  member  of  the  Choveve  Zion;  and  his  grasp  of  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  "  Love  of  Zion "  appears  in  his  address  on  the  sub- 


134  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

ject,  selections  from  which  are  given  in  this  volume.  His  visit  to 
the  Holy  Land  convinced  him  that  Palestine  could  again  become 
the  home  of  a  large  part  of  the  Jewish  people.  The  lecture  upon 
the  Jewish  colonies  in  Palestine,  reprinted  in  part  on  page  318 
of  this  book,  exhibits  his  enthusiastic  appreciation  of  the  value  of 
farm  life  in  the  land  of  Israel  in  making  of  the  denizens  of  the 
Eussian  ghettos  stalwart  and  self-respecting  men.  He  was  for 
several  years  a  vice-president  of  the  Federation  of  American  Zion- 
ists, and  he  regarded  the  movement  as  a  force  tending  to  unite  and 
strengthen,  to  inspire  and  elevate  the  Jewish  people.  He  beheld 
in  Zionism  a  noble  ideal. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

Letters  (1887-1893). 

In  April,  1887,  having  completed  tlie  course  of  study  at  the  Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  and  finished  a  year's  work  as  resi- 
dent physician  at  the  City  Hospital,  I  went  to  Europe  for  further 
medical  study.  During  my  absence  I  received  every  week  two  or 
three  letters,  selections  from  which,  except  as  otherwise  indicated, 
make  up  the  present  chapter. 

Baltimore,  May  11,  '87. 
Dear  Harry, 

By  this  time  you  have,  no  doubt,  acquainted  yourself  with  the 
more  prominent  features  of  Berlin,  You  feel  somewhat  at  home 
Unter  den  Linden,  still  look  reverently  at  the  Scliloss,  wonder 
why  they  do  not  put  some  clothes  on  the  statues  on  the  Bruclce,  and, 
with  all  your  patriotism,  you  will  have  to  concede  that  the  Bran- 
denhurger  Thor  is  quite  an  improvement  on  our  entrance  to  Druid 
Hill  Park.  I  suppose  you  have  gotten  your  geography  regarding 
the  ChariU,  University  KliniTc,  your  restaurant,  and  your  lodg- 
ings, etc.,  all  right.  You  have  measured  the  various  distances, 
studied  the  shortest  cuts,  and  picked  out  the  softest  streets  to  walk 
on ;  and  one  not  initiated  might  take  you  for  a  fellow  who  had  been 
there  some  time.  ...  It  will  puzzle  you  a  little  at  first,  when 
you  take  hold  of  the  University  Catalogue,  to  decide  what,  and  how 
much  to  take  up.  It  will  all  come  right,  and  you  will  have  a  fine 
time;  there  is  nothing  like  being  young,  after  all.  It  may  take 
fifty  years  of  your  life  fully  to  realize  this.     .     .     . 

I  wonder  how  Virchow  looks  now.    Then  he  was  in  the  prime  of 


126  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

life,  about  forty-four  years  of  age,  I  should  Judge,  with  a  perfectly 
black  beard  and  excellent  physique.  I  wonder  whether  he  still 
passes  so  much  of  his  time  in  the  Pathological  Institute  in  the 
"  Charite  "  grounds/ 

Baltimore,  Sunday  evening,  June  36,  1887. 
.  .  .  I  was  very  much  pleased  with  your  description  of  the 
great  synagogue  in  Berlin.  It  must  be  a  very  fine  edifice.  What 
interested  me  most,  however,  was  that  Berlin,  so  noted  for  its  great 
Eeformers,  has  not  let  the  idea  run  riot,  but  has  been  exceedingly 
moderate  in  the  changes  made.  Eeform  in  America  is  pretty  much 
what  the  wholesale  clothing  dealers  wanted  it  to  be.  The  Eabbis 
were  too  much  concerned  about  their  salaries  to  take  any  active  in- 
terest in  shaping  it.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  July  3,  1887. 
.  .  .  I  am  sorry  that  Hildesheimer's  preaching  does  not  please 
you.  It  is  the  fault  of  the  man  and  not  of  his  peculiar  position  as 
an  orthodox  minister.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  Sachs,  the 
Berlin  rabbi,  in  my  time,  and  he  was  the  most  eloquent  preacher  I 
ever  heard.  I  also  heard  Hirsch,  of  Frankfort,  and  he  certainly  is  a 
preacher  through  and  through.  .  .  .  There  is  a  synagogue  in 
Heidereutergasse,  in  which  Sachs  preached,  which  is  still  strictly 
orthodox.  I  would  advise  you  to  look  in  at  that  place  of  worship 
also.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  July  10,  1887. 
.     .     .     So  3'ou  think  that  "  Pappy  L."  has  made  himself  ridicu- 
lous by  his  attack  on  Koch's  teachings.    I  have  no  doubt  that  you 
have  heard  the  old  Jewish  saying  that  when  the  good  Lord  wants  a 

^  Virchow  remained  the  same  indefatigable  teacher,  investigator,  and 
worker  in  many  fields  for  more  than  forty  years  after  my  father  had 
been  his  pupil. 


Letters.  1^7 

very  big  fool,  he  picks  out  an  old  man  and  lets  his  wife  die.  I  have 
always  felt  the  force  of  this  old  saying,  and  therefore  I  was  not  so 
much  surprised  at  his  doings  at  the  National  Medical  Conven- 
tion.    .     .     . 

I  am  rather  surprised  to  learn  from  you  that  Schweigger  criti- 
cized rather  severely  some  of  the  teachings  of  Graefe.  I  am  not  able 
to  estimate  his  mental  caliber,  but  for  a  creature  to  scoff  at  his 
creator  shows  that  the  man  is  incapable  of  veneration. 

Baltimore,  July  24,  1887. 
.  .  .  Since  finishing  my  letter  to  you,  I  have  just  thought  of 
a  little  affair  of  late  [date]  in  which  the  Hon.  James  H.  has  again 
extensively  advertised  himself  as  an  ass  of  no  small  dimensions. 
As  you  may  perhaps  have  seen  from  the  papers,  they,  that  is,  the 
great  Democratic  party,  had  a  primary  election  of  delegates  to  a 
convention  to  name  the  candidates  for  State  offices.  Now,  there  is, 
as  you  know,  a  general  desire  for  reform.  M.  and  others  have 
washed  their  very  dirty  hands  clean,  and  arrayed  themselves  against 
Gorman  and  Easin,  hoping  thereby  to  win  the  confidence  of  the  re- 
spectable portion  of  their  party.  They  made  great  efforts  to  gain 
power  in  the  primaries.  Mr.  Rasin,  as  usual,  managed  his  cam- 
paign very  adroitly.  He  had  all  the  bummers  and  henchmen  and 
professional  repeaters  in  line,  so  that  men  who  had  any  business  to 
attend  to  became  disgusted  and  to  a  great  extent  left  the  field  to  the 
unwashed.  The  Hon.  "  Jeems,"  anxious  to  avail  himself  of  his  pre- 
rogative as  a  citizen  and  a  Democrat,  went  to  the  polls,  and  with 
great  alacrity  prepared  himself  to  accept  the  offer  of  a  certain  Mr. 
S.  to  give  him  a  place  at  the  upper  end  of  the  line.  An  officer  pre- 
vented this  "  swap "  of  places,  acting  according  to  instructions. 
"  Jeems  "  became  indignant  that  the  citizens  of  Baltimore  had  been 
subjected  to  this  humiliation  and  insult,  became  furious,  frothed  at 
the  mouth,  and  actually  asked  for  the  dismissal  of  the  faithful  of- 


128  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

ficer.  The  whole  town  is  laughing  at  the  Mayor,  and  the  Mayor  is 
wondering  that  the  citizens  don't  feel  insulted  at  the  outrage  upon 
the  man  who  represents  the  citizens  of  Baltimore,  and  who  has 
girded  his  loins  for  a  trip  to  the  gubernatorial  seat  at  Annapo- 
lis.    .     .     . 

Baltimore,  July  31,  1887. 

.  .  .  I  am  pleased  to  hear  that  you  find  Hirschberg  a  good 
teacher  and  that  you  are  interested  in  his  demonstrations.  I  was 
rather  struck  by  your  remark  some  time  ago,  that  you  did  not  want 
to  hear  so  much  talk,  but  wanted  to  do  some  work  yourself.  I  re- 
called the  talk  that  von  Grsefe  delighted  and  edified  his  hearers  with, 
and  I  see  you  also  have  found  out  that  it  makes  a  little  difference 
who  does  the  talking. 

.  .  .  So  you  don't  find  all  German  students  saturated  with 
wisdom.  I  made  that  discovery  twenty-seven  years  ago.  I  remem- 
ber a  conversation  with  a  newly-fledged  Doctor  of  Medicine  on  the 
subject  of  duelling.  When  he  exclaimed,  "  How  can  gentlemen  set- 
tle their  quarrels  ?  "  I  replied  that  it  seemed  to  me,  from  all  I  had 
heard  of  the  causes  of  duels  in  general,  that  duels  were  not  so  much 
resorted  to  in  order  to  settle  quarrels,  as  quarrels  were  resorted  to  in 
order  to  have  duels.     .     .     . 

Bedford,  Pa.,  August  2,  1887. 
Here  we  are  at  Bedford,  amid  its  mountains,  its  green  hills,  its 
lovely  valleys,  its  peculiar  Pennsylvanians  with  their  sing-song  talk, 
with  many  who  are  not  Pennsylvanians,  among  whom  we  find  not  a 
few  of  our  old  acquaintances  from  Baltimore.  We  arrived  here 
last  night,  having  consumed  the  whole  day  in  the  journey.  .  .  . 
It  was  a  pleasant  journey;  .  .  .  the  scenery  .  .  .  never 
became  wearisome.  .  .  .  The  moment  we  left  Baltimore  we  had 
the  beautiful  picture  of  a  continuous  rolling  country  before  us.    The 


Letters.  129 

little  hills,  with  the  picturesque  farms  and  cottages,  were  here  and 
there  cleft  by  lovely  rushing  streams,  crossed  by  numberless  fine 
hedges,  gradually  growing  higher  and  higher  as  we  approached 
Pennsylvania  territory,  till  we  should  have  talked  very  disrespect- 
fully of  them,  did  we  not  call  them  mountains.  For  the  larger  part 
of  the  way  we  were  following  the  course  of  some  stream ;  from  Har- 
risburg  on  we  seldom  lost  sight  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  this  stream, 
though  a  shallow  one,  in  which  we  missed  the  gratifying  sight  of 
fleeting  sail,  gave  a  pronounced  charm  to  the  scenery.  There  were 
a  great  many  canals  and  mill  races  met  with  on  the  way,  and  often 
aqueducts  of  no  mean  architecture,  conduiting  one  stream  over  an- 
other.    .     .     . 

Bedford,  August  7,  1887. 
.  .  .  "We  are  having  quite  a  holiday  here,  with  nothing  at  all 
to  do,  plenty  of  time  to  do  it  in,  and  plenty  of  good  people  to  help 
you  in  the  doing  it.  This  is  a  quaint  little  town,  with  very  good 
people  of  very  simple  ways  of  life.  .  .  .  They  all  work  hard 
here,  and  seem  to  work  cheerfully;  they  are  very  kind-hearted,  and 
are  always  extremely  polite  to  everybody.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  September  13,  1887. 
.  .  .  Your  letter,  dated  September  1,  just  arrived,  and  re- 
called to  me  a  trip  that  I  took  to  Potsdam  myself,  one  .  .  . 
Sunday.  The  Muschel  Saal  and  the  Eaphael  Gallery  are  still  vivid 
pictures  in  my  mind,  as  also  a  certain  windmill  that  Frederick  the 
Great  wanted  to  have  removed,  but  the  miller  asserted  his  rights 
under  the  law,  and  the  great  King  gave  up  the  idea,  and  the  wind- 
mill was  left  untouched  as  an  evidence  of  the  monarch's  respect  for 
the  rights  of  others.  I  remember  also  the  Charlottenhof,  with  that 
simple,  blue-striped  bed-room  in  which  the  great  Humboldt  slept, 
and  the  adjoining  one,  in  which  his  "  Cosmos  "  was  written.    The 


130  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

kindness  which  Frederick  William  IV.  showed  to  the  great  scientist 
was  about  the  only  good  thing  I  heard  about  him.  ...  He 
was  still  alive,  but  had  lost  his  mind,  and  the  present  Kaiser  was 
reigning  in  his  stead  as  Prince  Eegent.  I  also  remember  a  beautiful 
garden,  but  don't  know  where  to  place  it.  I  remember  the  beautiful 
polished  floors  and  the  felt  shoes  one  had  to  put  on  before  he  trod 
upon  holy  ground.  Many  things  were  told  about  Frederick  the 
Great,  one  of  which  I  remember.  "When  Napoleon  came  to  Berlin, 
he  wanted  to  visit  the  grave  of  the  Prussian  King.  His  wish  was 
carried  out,  and  on  reaching  the  grave  he  exclaimed,  "  If  you  were 
here,  I  should  not  be."     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  September  21,  1887. 

.  .  .  I  think  you  are  right  in  the  abstract  in  your  criticism  of 
the  Hildesheimers'  notion  of  orthodoxy.  I  agree  with  you  that  that 
sort  of  religion  won't  serve  the  purpose  of  cementing  parties.  I 
fear,  indeed,  that  it  often  drives  away  from  conservative  Judaism 
people  who  have  a  great  inclination  that  way.  We  must,  however, 
allow  a  little  for  the  intensity  of  feeling  that  has  developed  in  these 
people  from  watching  the  destructive  tendencies  of  what  has  been 
called  Eeform.  Men  like  Hildesheimer,  old  Eabbi  Bamberger  of 
Wiirzburg,  and,  I  believe,  Hirsch,  of  Frankfort,  have,  no  doubt, 
been  made  less  yielding  by  noticing  the  effect  that  Reform  has  had. 
I  believe  that  the  time  is  approaching  when  more  men  like  Morals 
will  come  to  the  front,  men  earnest,  sincere,  of  strong  religious  feel- 
ing, who,  although  strict  observers  of  the  law,  will  not  condemn  so 
unmercifully  others  who  may  have  deviated  a  little,  but  will  recog- 
nize them  as  brothers,  with  whom  they  are  willing  to  join  in  efforts 
for  a  common  purpose. 

Let  me  thank  you,  dear  Harry,  for  that  beautiful  drawing  of 
Mendelssohn's  grave,  and  for  the  ivy  leaves  which  you  plucked  on  it. 
I  have  shown  the  drawing  to  a  number  of  friends,  who  admired  it 


Lettees.  131 

very  much.    Have  you  made  auy  inquiries  about  the  descendants 
of  this  great  man  who  still  remain  within  the  fold  ?     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  October  37,  1887. 
.  .  .  I  regret  to  learn  from  you  that  the  anti-Semitic  spirit 
has  taken  such  a  hold  upon  the  people  of  Berlin.  I  think  that  our 
people  will  find  it  very  difficult  to  fight  against.  .  .  .  There  is 
no  legislation  that  can  combat  a  dislike  which  a  majority  has  for  a 
minority,  and  I  fear  that  for  a  good  while,  at  least,  the  sentiment 
will  grow  stronger.  It  is  a  great  temptation  to  many  people  to  con- 
sider themselves  better  than  other  people.  In  England  and  America 
that  chivalric  spirit  which  is  averse  to  taking  advantage  of  the  weak 
prevails,  and  therefore  I  think  we  are  pretty  safe  here.  In  Germany 
the  people  are  not  so  used  to  fair  play,  and,  when  they  can't  find 
anyone  else  to  vent  their  spleen  upon,  they  hunt  down  the  Jew. 

The  battle  has  been  fought,  the  victory  has  been  won  as  usual,  in 
the  regular  way,  and  Ferdinand  C.  Latrobe  will  again  be  invested 
with  the  mayoralty  robes,  the  same  ones  which  were,  all  the  samee, 
according  to  Cowen,  stolen  for  him  three  times  before.  The  tri- 
umphant are  crowing  only  for  the  fair  fame  of  Baltimore,  which, 
they  say,  has  been  defamed  by  the  Independent  Democrats,  and 
which  the  great  regular  Democratic  majority,  according  to  their  in- 
terpretation, has  again  restored.  The  Independents  and  the  Ee- 
publicans  made  a  good  fight,  evidently  had  plenty  of  money  at  their 
command,  and  everything  looked  favorable,  but  the  regulars  were 
not  to  be  thwarted.  Gorman  and  Higgins  and  Morris  Thomas  and 
Freeman  Easin  want  majorities ;  they  have  made  it  their  life  study 
how  to  secure  them;  their  resources  are  inexhaustible,  their  devices 
mysterious,  and  they  can  get  all  the  majorities  they  need  with  com- 
paratively few  Democratic  votes.  The  Eepublicans  have  secured 
eight  councilmen  in  the  First  Branch,  and  three  in  the  Second 
Branch;  but  the  regulars  have  a  majority  and  they  know  how  to  use 


133  Aaeon  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

a  majority  just  as  well  as  how  to  secure  one.  That  after  the  gal- 
lant fight  which  has  been  made  against  them,  after  the  terrible  ar- 
raignment to  which  they  have  been  subjected,  they  should  come  out 
victorious,  almost  makes  me  despair  of  the  possibility  of  their  ever 
being  dislodged.     .     .     . 

Baltimoke,  November  9,  1887. 
.  .  .  From  the  tenor  of  your  remarks  on  the  political  prob- 
abilities you  will  not  be  greatly  disappointed  when  I  again  report  an 
utter  defeat  of  the  opposition  to  the  regular  Democratic  party. 
.  .  .  The  Democrats  will  not  forget  what  they  consider  were 
grievances  during  and  after  the  war.  They  don't  want  to  see  their 
ancient  enemies  in  power.  They  need  a  strong  hold  on  power  to 
secure  a  continuation  of  a  Democratic  national  government,  and 
that  is  the  sum  total  of  their  political  philosophy.  For  all  this, 
there  is  no  use  in  looking  gloomily  at  the  future.  Eeason  and  jus- 
tice will  triumph  in  the  end.  In  a  popular  form  of  government  the 
conservative  spirit,  while  it  has  drawbacks,  has  the  advantage  of 
protecting  the  government  against  sudden  changes.  There  is  one 
satisfaction  after  all,  that,  if  the  result  of  the  election  will  be  bad 
for  the  state,  those  who  controlled  it  will  suffer  along  with  the  rest 
of  us ;  and,  if  the  newly-elected  legislators  realize  that  some  account 
will  have  to  be  taken  of  sentiment  favorable  to  election  reforms,  we 
shall  reap  some  benefit  from  the  campaign.     ... 

Baltimore,  November  23,  1887. 
.  .  .  Last  night  we  listened  to  the  first  of  a  series  of  lectures 
at  the  Peabody  Institute  by  Mr.  Serviss,  of  Brooklyn,  on  the  evolu- 
tion of  the  planets.  It  was  the  best  popular  scientific  lecture  that 
it  has  ever  been  my  privilege  to  listen  to.  Generally  lecturers  of 
this  kind  suffer  either  from  overdosing  the  audience  with  unintelli- 
gible facts,  or  from  the  fact  that,  in  the  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
lecturer  to  be  exceedingly  entertaining,  the  scientific  value  of  the 


Letters.  133 

lecture  is  entirely  lost.  This  lecturer  is  extremely  happy  in  teach- 
ing profound  scientific  theories,  and  in  keeping  his  audience  in- 
tensely interested.  He  explained  the  nebular  theory  .  .  .  and 
finally  told  the  doleful  story  of  the  moon,  closing  with  death,  and 
becoming  the  tomb  of  a  once  great  creation.  And  all  this  beautiful 
earth,  now  in  its  infancy  .  .  .  has  the  same  career  before  it, 
.  .  .  and  some  of  these  days  .  .  .  another  moon  will  be 
added  to  the  constellation,  and  telescopes  will  probably  be  directed 
at  it  from  the  observatories  of  other  planets,  and  our  dismal  fate 
will  be  commiserated  by  some  great  lecturer  at  some  other  Peabody 
Institute!  And  still  we  bother  about  investments  and  life  insur- 
ance and  the  reform  of  the  Democratic  party!  I  am  afraid  the 
Democratic  party  will  die  before  it  can  reform  itself. 

Poor  Emma  Lazarus  had  to  die  already !  We  received  the  news 
of  her  end  on  Monday,  and  yesterday  the  papers  brought  an  account 
of  her  simple  funeral  at  Cypress  Hills.  Dr.  Mendes  officiated.  Her 
song  has  been  sung,  its  tones  have  died  away,  but  her  name  will 
live.     ... 

Baltimore,  December  18,  1887. 
.  .  .  I  thank  you  cordially  .  ,  .  for  your  congratula- 
tions upon  my  approaching  birthday.  I  hope  we  will  have  a  real 
old-fashiolned  good  time  when  the  real  celebration  arrives.  We  will 
think  of  you  at  that  time  and  try  to  imagine  that  you  are  with  us. 
Birthdays  are  very  nice  things,  but  the  trouble  about  them  is  that 
when  they  come  often  a  fellow  gets  old  in  the  meantime. 

I  hope  that  the  case  of  the  Crown  Prince  [Frederick]  will  con- 
tinue promising.  It  is  a  pity  to  see  such  a  brave  fellow  and  such  a 
fine  specimen  of  manhood  threatened  with  death.  How  many  hopes 
have  been  built  upon  his  reign !  I  was  sorry  to  learn  of  the  youn^ 
prince's  intimacy  with  Stocker,  and  of  his  probable  sympathy  with 
his  hatred  of  our  people.     .     .     . 


134  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Baltimore,  December  18,  1887. 
I  was  a  little  angry  at  X.,  who  was  the  orator  of  the  evening. 
.     .     .     His  theme  was  "  Charity."    He  treated  the  subject  well ; 
he  spoke  very  little  about  it.     .     .     .     Taking  his  brass  into  consid- 
eration, he  is  a  very  polished  gentleman. 

Baltimore,  December  31,  1887. 
Your  letter  with  an  additional  congratulation  on  my  birthday, 
as  well  as  that  beautiful  "  Autobiography  "  of  Arlt's,  was  placed  in 
my  hands  quite  apropos  yesterday  morning.  Well,  we  had  a  very 
nice  time  of  it  on  Monday  night.  I  was  marched  up  into  the  parlor 
where  all  the  presents  were  spread  out.  ...  I  prize  none  of 
them  more  highly  than  the  one  you  sent  me.  The  good,  plain,  sen- 
sible man  whom  I  loved  as  a  teacher  and  revered  as  an  ophthalmolo- 
gist was  again  brought  vividly  before  me  by  his  own  simple,  beauti- 
ful, and  true  story  of  himself.  It  is  highly  gratifying  in  this  ma- 
terialistic a,ge,  of  which  we  are  given  to  complaining  so  much,  to 
find  that,  after  all,  when  we  contemplate  the  life  of  a  man  whom 
the  world  delights  to  honor,  above  all  the  genius  that  has  been  as- 
cribed to  him,  above  all  the  learning  that  he  has  adorned  himself 
with,  above  all  the  experience  which  he  had  acquired  to  give  him 
authority  and  to  make  him  master,  above  all  the  written  aad  un- 
written wisdom  with  which  he  enriched  the  world,  that  above  all 
these  stands  the  man  himself.  So  it  is  when  we  study  the  life  and 
character  of  Arlt.  If  ever  a  statue  should  be  erected  to  him,  the 
sculptor  could  not  fulfil  his  task  better  than  by  moulding  the  man 
himself,  plain,  unassuming,  with  his  kind,  benevolent  smile,  and,  if 
he  chooses  to  remember  his  work,  let  him  represent  it  in  figures  on 
the  pedestal,  above  which  the  man  should  be  placed.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  December  22,  1887. 
Dear  Moses  and  Jane, 

It's  all  over !     Of  course,  I  mean  my  birthday.     All  the  good 
wishes  have  been  received  and  appreciated,  all  the  presents  have 


Letters.  135 

been  admired  and  acknowledged  except  yours,  which  I  take  occasion 
to  return  my  thanks  for  now;  all  the  egg-nog  has  been  drunk,  all 
the  cakes  and  fruit  and  nuts  have  been  digested,  and  the  event  has 
been  nicely  placed  on  the  shelf  with  those  that  have  gone  before,  in 
the  hope  that  those  that  will  follow  will  be  equally  pleasant.  But 
I  am  only  fifty-seven  years  of  age,  aaid  I  have  to  ask  you  to  knock 
off  the  one  year  which  you  placed  to  my  account  in  error.  Some 
foolish  young  man  who  bestows  a  good  deal  of  attention  upon  the 
cultivation  of  his  first  mustache  might  be  willing  to  have  himself 
considered  a  year  older  than  .  .  .  he  is.  .  .  .  There  are 
other  individuals  who,  at  certaijn  periods  of  their  lives  and  under 
special  circumstances,  prefer  to  have  a  little  discount  made,  but 
men  like  you  and  me  ask  only  that  the  days  which  they  have  in- 
vested in  the  repository  of  time  be  quoted  at  par. 

This  is  a  very  varied  life  we  lead,  at  any  rate.  Some  of  us  live  a 
great  deal  in  a  short  time;  some  require  a  very  long  time  to  do  a 
small  share  of  living ;  some  live  too  much  and  therefore  cannot  live 
long ;  some  hardly  live  at  all  and  reach  a  high  old  age.  There  is  no 
man  so  poor  that  he  is  not  envied  for  something  by  somebody,  some- 
times by  a  very  rich  somebody.  How  many  try  hard  to  make  a 
living  and  kill  themselves  when  they  succeed !  How  many  can 
never  make  a  living,  and  outlive  generations !  If  life  could  only  be 
bought,  what  a  big  business  somebody  could  do  who  had  the  article 
for  sale,  even  if  he  established  himself  in  some  side  street!  The 
older  his  stock,  the  more  desirable  it  would  become ;  and  he  would 
never  have  anything  to  fear  from  the  fashions  and  their  changes.  I 
believe  some  of  our  most  prominent  men  and  women  who  couldn't 
buy  life  in  fee  simple  under  this  arrangement  would  be  willing  to 
pay  very  heavily  for  a  "  lease  of  ninety-nine  years  "  and  to  make  a 
compromise  to  knock  off  "  renewals  forever."  Some  are  .  .  . 
happy  in  looking  over  their  balamce  sheet,  for  the  .  .  .  days 
that  they  have  lived  for  others  have  made  their  years  plentiful; 
10 


136  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

then  there  are  those  who  rob  others  of  their  years,  and  never  enrich 
their  own  store.  What  a  deal  of  "  swapping  "  would  be  done  if  it 
only  could  be  .  .  .  !  I  believe  there  are  some  good  folks  in 
Mount  Vernon  Place  who  would  not  shun  a  market  like  Slammer's 
alley  to  drive  a  bargain  of  this  kind.  I  should  not  like  to  state  the 
boot  that  some  leaders  of  an  uptown  club  whose  joints  begin  to 
creak  like  a  rusty  hinge  would  offer  for  the  elastic  limbs  of  some 
young  jig-dancer.  Yes,  all  sorts  of  trading  of  this  kind  would  be 
extensively  carried  on,  buying,  selling,  leasing,  swapping;  I  am 
afraid  there  would  be  more  of  this  than  of  speculation  in  the  great 
future  beyond  this  life.  I  think  I  could  point  out  a  fellow  or  two 
who  would  sell  an  eternity  of  the  future  for  a  six  months'  promis- 
sory 'note  without  grace,  which  would  bring  a  little  animal  enjoy- 
ment during  the  time  it  ran.  But  there  are  other  folks,  too,  and 
many  of  them,  thank  Grod,  who  do  not  live  for  themselves  alone, 
who  can  delight  in  others'  joy,  who  can  feel  for  those  who  weep, 
who  place  the  highest  value  upon  those  acts  in  life  which  have 
helped  others,  and  are  most  ashamed  of  those  which  have  benefited 
themselves  alome.  It  is  this  that  makes  men  human,  and  this  is  the 
earthly  echo  of  the  Divine  words,  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own 
image."  Who  will  say,  then,  that  life  is  not  worth  living,  when 
there  is  so  much  good  to  be  done,  so  many  joys  to  be  shared,  so 
many  hopes  to  which  the  humblest  can  aspire?  There  is  a  justice 
in  events  after  all.  In  this  cold,  cheerless  weather  the  rascals  are 
forced  to  stay  in  Canada,  and  the  good  fellows  ride  in  their  soft- 
gliding  launches  on  the  beautiful  rivers  of  Florida.'' 

And  when  we  look  back  with  some  regret  for  much  of  our  youth- 
ful vigor,  ever-ready  appetite,  invulnerability  of  stomach,  and  physi- 
cal endurance  which  now  lie  buried  in  the  past,  we  are  afforded  as 
an  indemnity  the  consolation  that  now  we  can  look  up  higher  than 
to  those  who  ruled  us  then,   and  that  many  heartaches,   disap- 

'^  Whither  his  brother  had  gone  because  of  his  ill-health. 


Letters.  137 

pointments,  and  humiliations  to  which  we  were  subjected  then, 
have  also  been  interred.  We  can  rejoice  that  our  manhood  has  been 
preserved  to  us,  that  there  rests  no  blemish  upon  our  names;  we 
have  each  a  wife  whom  we  love,  and  whom  we  have  been  able  up 
to  this  time  to  take  care  of,  and  who  has  had  the  strength  to  take 
care  of  us  also,  we  have  children  in  whose  future  our  hopes  are 
centered,  and,  above  all,  we  love  God  and  acknowledge  His  au- 
thority. Your  brother,  Aaron. 

Baltimore,  December  28,  1887. 
My  dear  Harry, 

.     .     .     I  learned  today     .     .     .    that  ,  who  has  been 

elected  as  the  successor  of  old at  the  temple  in  Philadelphia 

delivered  an  extraordinary  lecture  on  Christmas  Day,  Sunday, 
which  fell  on  the  same  day  as  "  Asarah  be-Tebeth  "  this  year.  It 
seems  he  made  the  coincidence  the  theme  of  his  discourse,  and  the 
lecture  was  published  in  a  Philadelphia  daily.  I  have  not  seen  the 
paper  as  yet,  but  should  judge,  from  expressions  which  Dr.  Szold 
used  in  reference  thereto,  that  he  must  have  said  some  outrageous 
things.  These  new-fashioned  Eabbis  are  strange  caterers ;  they  give 
the  Jews  I'ln  [swine]  and  the  Christians  taify.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  December  31,  1887. 
This  puts  the  finishing  touch  to  the  year  1887.  How  quickly 
these  years  follow  upon  one  another !  ...  It  will  not  be  long 
before  we  enter  upon  a  new  century,  and  then  we  will  not  hear  so 
much  of  the  enlightened  nineteenth  century,  which  so  many  fools 
take  such  great  delight  in  talking  about.  .  .  .  There  is  nothing 
new  here  except  the  New  Year.  It  is  the  season  to  exchange  greet- 
ings, to  send  and  receive  bills.  Some  pay  them,  while  many  pay  no 
attention  to  them,  unless  they  must.     .     .     . 


138  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Baltimore,  January  1,  1888. 
.  .  ,  Quite  recently  I  attended  a  family  .  .  .  consisting 
of  a  husband  and  wife  and  seven  children,  who  had  been  driven 
away  from  Bavaria  because  the  husband  was  a  Eussian,  although 
he  had  lived  there  for  many  years,  had  married  a  German  girl,  and 
was  pursuing  the  business  of  a  baker,  which  .  .  .  afforded  a 
living  for  him  and  his  family.  And  still  some  of  our  enlightened 
coreligionists  delight  in  talking  about  the  age  of  persecution  being 
past!  They  even  erased  everything  from  the  prayer  book  that  in- 
dicated the  slightest  displeasure  with  the  general  order  of  things. 
Why  should  we  bewail  our  lot,  when  we  are  free,  living  in  a  free 
country,  etc.,  etc.?  That  was,  however,  before  the  time  when  their 
race  was  taken  into  account  when  they  made  their  applications  for 
rooms  in  summer  hotels.  Let  us  hope  for  a  better  day  to  come,  for 
that  day  when  all  peoples  will  feel  more  kindly  towards  each  other, 
and  for  that  day  when  we  Jews  will  be  as  intensely  Jewish  in  our 
prosperity  as  those  were  who  preserved  our  religion  and  our  race  in 
dire  adversity.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  January  10,  1888. 

Your  letter  .  .  .  was  very  welcome,  and  we  all  enjoyed  its 
contents.  Contemplating  a  Christian  holiday  in  a  Jewish  family 
makes  rather  a  sad  impression  on  one  who  goes  through  such  a 
scene  for  the  first  time. 

.  .  .  Yes,  these  AufgeJcldrte  claim  to  have  made  wonderful 
progress,  simply  because  they  don't  do  what  their  parents  or  kins- 
men did.  I  think  we  are  not  so  badly  off  in  this  country  after  all. 
There  is  more  of  a  common  bond  between  us.  We  feel  more  satis- 
fied with  each  other,  and,  thanks  to  the  generous  American  spirit 
that  prevails,  we  are  not  forced  either  to  give  up  or  to  conceal  our 
religion  to  gain  the  respect  of  those  with  whom  we  have  intercourse. 
It  is  this  which  has  made  the  English  Jew,  and  I  firmly  believe  that 


Letters.  139 

an  American  Jew  will  be  developed  here  very  similar  to  him.  Of 
course,  it  will  take  a  little  time.  The  Rishuth  of  the  German 
is  inveterate,  and,  contrary  to  what  we  expected,  has  not  abated  one 
jot  with  the  enlightenment  of  the  nineteenth  century.  If  any 
change  has  been  noticed,  it  is  that  this  feeling  has  been  intensified. 
The  old  Jew,  who  had  to  buffet  with  the  world,  expected  hard 
knocks,  and  was  prepared  for  them  when  they  came.  He  had  him- 
self and  his  religion  to  preserve,  and  he  toiled  faithfully  and  suf- 
fered bravely  to  do  it.  While  his  body  was  bent  humbly  before  his 
enemies,  his  spirit  remained  erect,  and  when  he  was  again  within 
the  sanctuary  of  his  family  circle,  his  manhood  rose  up  within  him, 
and  he  looked  with  contempt  upon  his  persecutors.  Moses  Mendels- 
sohn thought  that,  as  the  Jews  became  cultured,  the  German  Chris- 
tian would  relent.  He  made  a  great  mistake  in  thinking  so  well  of 
the  Teuton.  I  am  sure  I  have  no  grudge  against  him  on  that  ac- 
count. Who  would  not  have  erred  in  this  regard,  having  met  a 
Lessing  ?  That  reminds  me  of  what  I  once  heard.  Heine,  I  think, 
said,  (hardly  anyone  else  could  tell  truths  like  this  one),  in  answer 
to  what  is  so  often  claimed  so  proudly  for  Germany,  the  invention 
of  the  printing  press :  "  Well,  if  one  German  did  invent  it,  there  are 
many  millions  of  Germans  who  did  not."  It  seems  as  if  Providence 
specially  created  one  Lessing  in  order  to  show  by  the  example  of  one 
decent  German  how  very  mean  the  rest  are.  I  can't  help  looking  at 
the  history  of  the  Mendelssohn  family  as  a  drama  constantly  being 
reproduced  on  the  Berlin  stage  where  it  was  originally  enacted.  A 
poor  boy,  without  even  a  language,  finds  his  way  into  the  Athens  of 
Germany.  Physically  dwarfed,  intellectually  and  spiritually  a 
giant,  he  makes  way  for  himself  in  paths  no  Jewish  foot  had  been 
permitted  to  tread  before.  At  first  spurned,  like  every  other  Jew, 
even  by  the  lowest  of  men,  he  was  finally  sought  and  valued  as  a 
friend  in  the  learned  circles  of  that  time.  Commended  for  his  wis- 
dom and  learning  and  nobility  of  character  by  all  who  knew  him, 


140  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

he  valued  most  in  himself  the  fact  that  he  was  a  Jew.  What  a  hor- 
rible spectacle  in  this  drama,  to  see  children  renouncing  the  religion 
of  such  a  father !  Some  even  changed  their  names,  so  that  in  pre- 
senting the  credential  admitting  them  into  refined  society,  it  might 
not  be  discovered  that  he  who  first  made  way  for  them  was  a  Jew, 
even  though  he  bore  the  illustrious  name  of  Mendelssohn.  The  play 
has  been  going  on  ever  since.  How  many  fathers  have  been  for- 
gotten, how  many  names  have  been  changed  since  then !  All  for  a 
mess  of  pottage !  Thank  God,  all  the  people  in  the  world  are  not 
Germans,  and  all  the  Jews  do  not  live  in  Berlin.  It  is  very  difficult 
to  do  what  Mendelssohn  did,  and  up  to  this  time  not  one  Jew  has 
done  it,  but  very  many  common  Jews  have  been  able  to  do  what  his 
children  did.     ... 

Baltimore,  March  25,  1888. 
This  surely  has  been  an  eventful  time  in  Berlin.  .  .  .  The 
old  king,  who  had  such  a  long  and  eventful  reign,  to  whom  it  was 
accorded  to  unite  dismembered  Germany,  has  been  called  away. 
.  .  .  It  is  a  beautiful  piece  of  history.  Queen  Louise,  mortified 
and  insulted  by  Napoleon,  conjuring  her  little  son  Wilhelm  to 
avenge  her  honor  and  the  wrongs  of  Prussia.  How  great  that  little 
Wilhelm  became  and  how  nobly  did  he  fulfil  his  task !  Verily  the 
commandment  was  fulfilled,  "Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother; 
that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee."  It  is  a  great  pity  that  Frederick  III,  who  took  so 
prominent  a  part  in  all  the  events  which  made  the  present  empire, 
and  who,  though  so  close  to  his  father,  was  never  far  from  the  peo- 
ple, should  have  death  staring  him  in  the  face  when  power  is 
placed  in  his  hands.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  April  8,  1888. 
.     .     .     We  drove  through  Druid  Hill  Park  this  afternoon,  and 
had  a  most  delightful  time.    It  was  a  little  cool,  but  a  very  fine 


Letters.  141 

afternoon  nevertheless.  The  trees,  at  least  some  of  them,  are  put- 
ting on  their  green  coats,  and  the  grass  is  springing  up  ever3rwhere. 
We  feel  very  proud  of  our  park,  firstly  because  it  is  beautiful,  and 
secondly  because  it  is  ours.  They  are  going  to  illuminate  it  with 
electric  lights,  and  next  summer,  when  the  driving  around  the  lake 
becomes  most  delightful,  we  shall  not  be  driven  home  by  the  dark- 
ness. This  is  something  very  pleasant  to  think  of,  but  when  we 
connect  it  with  the  city  taxes  of  $1,90  on  the  hundred,  when  they 
were  but  $1.60  last  year,  the  prospect  for  next  year  is  not  very 
bright  for  the  tax-payers,  bright  as  the  electric  light  may  be.    .    .    . 

Baltimore,  May  9,  1888. 

.  .  .  You  are  all  wrong  about  SchoUen  and  Heine.  Heine 
wrote  of  SchaUt,  schone  Gotterspeise,  and  meant  what  we  call  8cha- 
let.  ...  I  remember  the  thick  bean  soup  to  which  they  give 
this  peculiar  name  of  SclioUen  in  Berlin.  By  the  by,  I  heard  the 
derivation  of  Schalet  when  I  was  in  Berlin.  You  are  aware  that  in 
olden  times  they  had  all  sorts  of  devices  for  keeping  the  dinner 
warm.  One  was  to  place  the  pots,  after  they  had  been  taken  from 
the  stove  on  Fridays,  between  feather  beds,  and  keep  them  there  till 
the  time  arrived  for  serving  the  meal  on  Saturday.  Many  French 
words  were  used  among  German  Jews  in  olden  times,  so  that  Scliw- 
let  was  derived  from  chaud  lit!'    .     .     . 

Baltimore,  May  20,  1888. 

.  .  .  The  Belt,  or  at  least  a  part  of  it,  will  be  added  to  the 
city  [of  Baltimore].  We  are  determined  to  have  a  large  city,  even 
if  we  are  forced  to  annex  the  whole  of  the  Eastern  Shore.     .     .     . 

-  'Other  derivations  are  suggested  in  the  Jewish  Encyclopedia,  Vol. 
IV.,  p.  255. 


143  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Baltimore,  Jime  17,  1888. 

.  .  .  Your  congratulatory  letter  to  our  Silver  Wedding  formed 
one  of  the  principal  episodes  of  the  day.  We  kept  the  matter  very 
secret,  so  that  no  one  outside  of  the  immediate  family  knew  any- 
thing about  it.  The  children  surprised  us  early  in  the  morning 
with  a  beautiful  pitcher,  which  we  admire  and  appreciate  very 
much.  Your  letter  touched  us  deeply,  and  of  course  we  felt  your 
absence  on  the  occasion  very  keenly.  We  look  back  on  these 
twenty-five  years  with  great  gratitude  for  the  many  blessings  that 
have  been  bestowed  upon  us.  We  have  lived  for  each  other.  We 
thank  God  for  His  mercy.     .     .     . 

Germany  is  a  great  country,  but  it  is  not  the  soil  for  political 
freedom,  neither  is  it  the  land  to  develop  character  in  the  Jew.  The 
prejudice  of  the  Teuton  against  the  Semite  seems  uncontrollable, 
and  the  backbone  of  the  Jew  in  modern  times  has  not  shown  suffi- 
cient strength  to  bear  up  against  it.  It  seems  when  the  German  Jew 
gives  up  the  cattle  business  and  learns  to  speak  German  correctly,  he 
longs  to  divest  himself  of  his  religion,  his  history,  and  his  traditions, 
and  willingly  throws  them  into  the  bargain  when  he  sells  his  old 
clothes. 

We  have  been  reading  a  good  deal  in  an  excellent  book  on  Heine 
by  Strodtmann  where  this  is  painfully  proven.  Heine  complains 
bitterly  of  the  rishuth  which  he  had  to  witness  in  a  small  place 
called  Limburg,  where  he  lived  a  short  time.  He  says,  among 
other  things,  that  he  has  a  dog,  and  the  Christian  dogs  maltreat 
him  because  he  belongs  to  a  Jew.     .     .     . 

And  the  good  Kaiser  [Frederick  III],  who  spurned  this  fiend 
[of  anti-Semitism]  had  to  die!  Every  German  Jew  has  a  double 
reason  to  mourn.  As  a  German,  he  must  mourn  that  the  best  .  .  . 
of  the  Germans  Has  been  called  away,  and,  as  a  Jew,  he  must  mourn 
that  the  strong  hand  of  protection  which  has  been  held  over  him 
has  been  thrust  aside.     .     .    . 


Letters.  143 

Baltimore,  July  11,  1888. 
.  .  .  I  think  specimens  of  [ungentlemanly  professors  such] 
as  you  describe  ...  are  not  rare  in  enlightened  Germany.  I 
may  be  mistaken,  but  it  seems  to  me  to  be  a  country  very  favorable 
to  the  production  of  such  .  .  .  men.  I  have  particularly  no- 
ticed the  proclivity  of  German  professional  men  to  abuse  one  an- 
other. It  is  not  so  difficult  to  turn  out  a  scholar  from  a  university, 
but  there  is  something  else  required  to  produce  a  gentleman.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  August  22,  1888. 
When  this  reaches  you  a  new  season  will  be  very  near  or,  per- 
haps, ushered  in.  It  is  the  time  of  all  others  that  loving  ones  yearn 
to  be  together.  That  happiness  is  again  denied  us.  We  shall  think 
of  you  more  than  usually  on  that  occasion,  and  we  feel  assured  that 
your  thoughts  will  be  directed  to  us.  Yes,  a  whole  year  has  told  its 
tale !  Thank  God,  we  have  been  preserved  to  each  other,  and  have 
much  to  be  thankful  for.  Trusting  in  Him,  we  can  look  hopefully 
to  the  future.  God  bless  you,  dear  boy,  and  grant  you  a  "  Happy 
New  Year !"  May  you  always  have  the  courage  and  the  strength  to 
pursue  the  work  that  you  have  marked  out  for  yourself,  the  courage 
and  the  strength  to  remain  steadfast  in  principle  and  loyal  to  duty. 
May  you  always  be  able  to  work  cheerfully  and  successfully.  May 
you  never  lack  encouragement  in  contemplating  the  future  nor  ex- 
perience in  reviewing  the  past.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  September  30,  1888. 
This  has  been  an  eventful  day.  The  ceremony  of  laying  the 
comer-stone  of  the  new  hospital  took  place  at  3.30  P.  M.  A  very 
large  assembly  marked  the  occasion.  The  Catholic  hierarchy  was 
present  in  full  force  and  full  uniform  and  conducted  the  exercises. 
All  the  Catholic  Knights,  Irish  and  German,  Polish  and  Bohemian, 
with  green,  red,  and  white  plumes  and     .     .     .    shining  helmets 


144  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

marched  valiantly  in  line  with  floating  banners  and  stirring  music. 
Calvert  Street  presented  one  compact  mass  of  human  beings.  The 
roof  of  the  hospital  was  crowded  with  those  who  were  anxious  to 
see  the  wonder,  and  .  .  .  could  not  be  accommodated  .  .  . 
below.  The  little  Sisters  with  their  saintly  garb  and  innocent  faces 
stood  at  their  windows  and  overlooked  things  generally.  The  Cardi- 
nal, in  his  vestments  of  white  silk,  richly  embroidered,  Monsignor 
McColgan,  in  his  purple  robes,  and  then  the  priests  of  the  third  de- 
gree and  numerous  Brothers,  who  did  not  look  half  so  fascinating 
as  their  Sisters  who  were  peeping  from  the  windows  above,  gave  the 
required  dignity  to  the  occasion.  The  Mayor  was  also  there  in  full 
life  size,  except  when  he  took  his  hat  off.  The  Mayor  made  an  ad- 
dress; it  was  good,  and  it  was  short,  and  was  especially  well  re- 
ceived by  those  (and  these  were  in  the  great  majority),  who  did  not 
know  how  much  he  had  done  in  his  official  capacity  to  prevent  the 
very  thing  for  which  he  had  so  many  praises  to-day.  .  .  .  Then 
the  clergy  did  some  chanting,  which  sounded  very  well,  and  this 
was  followed  by  a  short  but  very  appropriate  address  by  the  Cardi- 
nal.    .     .     . 

Baltimore,  October  27,  1888. 

.  .  .  As  the  presidential  election  is  approachiag  nearer  and 
nearer  the  feeling  awakened  by  it  becomes  more  and  more  intense. 
All  sorts  of  speeches  are  made ;  all  sorts  of  lies  are  told ;  all  sorts  of 
jokes  are  cracked.  Of  the  latter  I  will  forward  a  specimen.  An 
Irishman  was  accosted  by  his  employer,  who  said  to  him,  "  Patrick, 
you  must  vote  for  Harrison  this  time,  otherwise  your  wages  will  be 
lowered." 

"  Did  you  say  my  wages  will  be  lowered  if  Cleveland  be  elected  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Patrick,"  was  the  reply. 

"  You'd  vote  for  him  yourself,  you  know well  you  would, 

if  his  election  would  lower  my  wages !"     .     .     . 


Letters.  145 

Baltimore,  Nov.  4,  1888. 

.  .  .  Everything  is  quiet  here  except  politics,  and  that  is  at 
fever  heat.  .  .  .  What  is  most  enjoyable  in  the  turmoil  is  that 
now  and  then  we  hear  of  a  ,good  rejoinder.  .  .  .  One  such  was 
published  this  morning.  Blaine  was  making  a  speech,  and  some 
Democrat  wanted  to  disconcert  him,  and  tried  to  do  so  by  saying, 
just  as  the  speaker  was  warming  up  a  little,  "  Oh,  Jim  Blaine,  you 
go  to !" 

Blaine  replied,  "  This  is  the  first  time  in  my  life  that  I  have  ever 
been  invited  to  Democratic  headquarters !"     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  Nov.  10,  1888. 
.  .  .  Since  you  have  been  away,  a  new  election  law  has  been 
enacted,  despite  the  most  strenuous  efforts  of  the  ring  to  prevent  its 
passing  the  last  legislature.  We  have  glass  ballot-boxes  and  a  new 
registration  every  year.  Thousands  and  thousands  of  dead  men 
have  thus  been  disfranchised.  .  .  .  Politics  in  Baltimore  have 
assumed  a  new  interest.  The  fight  hereafter  will  be  between  the 
living;  we  shall  not  be  haunted  by  the  dead.  The  living  that  we 
shall  have  to  fi,ght  may  tax  our  best  efforts,  but  it  will  be  a  consola- 
tion that  the  dead  will  be  left  at  rest.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  Nov.  14,  1888. 
.  .  .  I  have  been  accorded  the  honor  of  being  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Liberal  Club,  and  last  night  I  attended  the  first  meeting, 
.  .  .  The  exercises  consist  of  informal  discussions  of  all  sorts 
of  subjects.  Last  night  the  principal  topic  was  whether  it  would  be 
well  to  adopt  an  educational  test  as  a  qualification  for  the  franchise 
in  the  South.  Mr,  ,  a  lawyer,  a  Democrat,  and  free- 
trader, fought  against  the  proposition,  and  made  it  appear  almost 
as  if  education  were  a  great  disadvantage.  I  listened  to  him  very 
attentively,  and  weighed  carefully  what  he  said  about  people  who 


146  Aakon  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

were  entirely  illiterate,  often  showing  very  good  judgment,  and 
about  college  graduates  often  making  fools  of  themselves,  or  using 
their  education  to  fool  others.  I  told  a  story  I  once  heard  Gundry 
relate.  In  olden  times  a  respectable  English  farmer  was  reproached 
by  a  kind  neighbor  for  not  sending  his  son  to  school. 

"What,  have  my  son  taught  to  write  and  to  read?"  he  indig- 
nantly replied.     "  I  have  learned  a  lesson  in  that  regard  since 

■ — "  (mentioning  somebody's  name)  "  committed  a  forgery.    I 

will  not  have  my  son  taught  to  practice  forgery !"     .     .     . 

We  adjourned — and  went  to  a  restaurant.  One  rule  adopted  by 
the  Club,  with  which  I  was  immediately  made  acquainted,  was  that 
everybody  paid  his  own  reckoning.  I  suppose  that  is  the  reason  it 
is  called  the  Liberal  Club.    ... 

Baltimore,  November  24,  1888. 

.  .  .  Last  Thursday  night  Julius  and  I,  .  .  .  attended 
the  jollification  at  the  "  Young  Men's  Kepublican  Club."  .  .  . 
One  old  fellow  about  six  feet  two  inches  tall  and  weiighing  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  who  had  just  been  elected  sheriff  of 
Howard  county,  the  stronghold  and  home  of  Arthur  P.  Gorman, 
was  one  of  the  people  who  were  present  and  rejoiced  with  us.  He 
told  us  some  very  funny  points  he  had  made  during  the  campaign. 
He  said  that,  although  he  was  not  a  college-bred  man,  he  was  not 
afraid  to  speak  on  the  tariff  issue.  He  said  that  the  story  was  so 
plain  that  anybody  who  could  tell  the  truth  could  tell  it.  Of  course, 
college-bred  men  could  talk  free  trade,  but  when  they  got  through 
nobody  could  understand  them.  To  illustrate  his  position,  he  told 
this  story.  A  German  was  empaneled  as  a  juror.  He  tried  to  beg 
off. 

"  Mr.  Judge,"  said  he,"  I  cannot  shpeak  English." 

"  That  is  not  necessary,  for  you  have  nothing  to  say.  Can  you 
understand  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  the  German. 


Letters.  147 

The  trial  proceeded;  the  German  listened  attentively  all  through 
the  taking  of  evidence ;  but,  when  the  attorney  began  to  plead,  after 
listening  to  him  for  a  while,  he  suddenly  cried  out,  "  Shtop  a  little — 
Mr.  Judge,  I  can't  understand  that  man ;  you  must  let  me  off." 

"  Oh,  no !  I  can't  understand  him  either,  and  it  don't  make  a  bit 
of  difference  I"  said  the  Judge.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  December  17,  1888. 

.     .     .     Everything  must  look  very  lively  now  in  Berlin.     If  the 

Jews  take  as  much  interest  (in  Christmas)  as  the s  do,  what 

interest  must  the  Christians  take!     This  is  something  I  cannot 

readily  forgive  the s  for.     The  old  people  must  have  had  a 

premonition  of  what  these  things  led  to  when  they  condemned 
.  .  .  every  new  custom  with  their  almighty  "  D^un  npn."  What 
a  lack  of  character  is  displayed  in  this  wanton  exchange  of  old 
and  time-honored  customs,  handed  down  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration, for  the  customs  of  others,  of  others  who  have  been  our  perse- 
cutors in  the  past,  and  are  resuscitating  their  ancient  enmity  in  the 
present.  The  word  AufgeTclart  seems  to  justify  all  this.  Such 
AufJcldrung  will  apparently  justify  anything.  Such  reckless  dis- 
regard of  the  loyalty  that  one  owes  his  own  people  is  worse  than 
outright  apostasy.  What  a  want  of  backbone !  Oh,  what  a  wholesale 
barter  of  a  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage  !  '  Aufhldrung ! '  How 
your  name  has  been  prostituted !  Does  it  not  seem  a  just  retribution 
that  anti-Semitism  was  destined  to  be  born  in  the  very  cradle  of 
AufkVdrung  and  to  receive  its  baptism  there  also  ?  The  weapons  of 
the  anti-Semites  were  not  directed  so  much  against  the  steadfast  Jew 
who  clung  to  his  religion,  to  his  traditions,  and  to  his  national  ties, 
as  against  the  AufgekVdrter. 

.  .  .  You  allude  to  the  educational  test  for  the  franchise  and 
ask  my  opinion.  I  think  that  a  man  who  demands  the  right  to  vote 
ought  to  have  enough  intelligence  to  exercise  it  safely.    One  could 


148  Aakon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

hardly  claim  that  a  man  who  could  neither  read  nor  write  had  suJBB- 
cient  intelligence  to  vote.  On  the  other  hand,  it  would  be  somewhat 
dangerous  to  pass  a  law  in  accordance  with  this  idea.  There  are 
many  who  are  intelligent  who,  if  they  had  the  power,  would  never 
give  those  who  were  without  an  education  a  chance  for  one.  Educa- 
tion costs  the  state  something,  and  that  something  those  who  can 
well  afford  to  educate  their  children  themselves  would  like  to  strike 
off  the  tax  in  so  far  as  its  benefits  accrue  to  others.  I  can  imagine  a 
condition  of  society  in  which  a  privileged  class  would  combine  to 
prevent  a  large  part  of  the  community  from  being  educated  by  the 
state.  When  the  masses  vote,  whether  they  can  read  or  not,  they  will 
see  to  it  that  an  educational  system  is  provided  for  them.  In  due 
time,  almost  everybodjr's  children  will  be  sent  to  school,  and  com- 
pulsory attendance  will  be  established.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  December  22,  1888. 
.  .  .  A  Eussian  was  brought  to  the  Hebrew  Hospital,  suffer- 
ing from  a  gunshot  wound.  The  ball  could  not  be  traced.  No  ran- 
dom probing  was  indulged  in.  A  friend  was  very  much  concerned 
about  the  ball  not  being  taken  out.  I  explained  the  situation  as 
well  as  I  could.  He  still  shook  his  head,  and  I  finished  by  saying, 
"  Es  schadet  nicMs;  ein  Jude  hann  eine  Eugd  *  vertragen."     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  January  27,  1889. 

Poor  Patrick  Mc has  gone  on  his  last  spree.     He  took 

pneumonia,  and  died  last  Friday.  Peace  to  his  ashes !  He  was  a 
tempest-tossed  individual.  I  shall  miss  him  and  his  odd  brogue.  .  .  . 

Baltimore,  February  24,  1889. 

Dr.  was  in  town  to-day,  and  held  forth  at  the  Temple. 

This  formed  the  topic  of  some  conversation.    A  good  deal  was  said 

*  A  favorite  Jewish  dish. 


Letters.  149 

as  to  what  constituted  a  good  preacher.  A  story  was  told  of  a  young 
Catholic  priest  who,  although  noted  for  his  learning,  made  a  signal 
failure  of  preaching  in  the  early  part  of  his  career.  On  one  occa- 
sion, however,  he  did  remarkably  well,  and,  on  being  questioned  as 
to  how  this  caine  about,  he  said  that  he  first  preached  his  sermon 
in  the  fields  to  the  cabbage  heads,  and  it  went  well,  and  he  then  got 
in  his  pulpit  and  imagined  his  hearers  to  be  cabbage  heads,  and  it 
went  well  again. 

I  inferred  if  there  were  not  so  many  cabbage  heads  in 's 

audience,  he  would  not  be  so  much  admired. 

Baltimore,  March  3,  1889. 

.  .  .  The  National  League  of  Eepublican  Clubs  convened 
in  Baltimore  during  the  past  week.  ...  I  did  not  have  time 
to  attend  any  of  their  meetings,  but  as  regards  the  banquet  I 
was  more  fortunate.  I  was  one  of  the  invited  guests  and  a  member 
of  the  entertainment  committee.  .  .  .  Mayor  Latrobe  was 
present  and  made  a  speech  of  welcome.  .  .  .  Mr.  Goodloe,  of 
Kentucky,  made  a  fine  speech,  and  in  winding  up  paid  his  respects 
to  the  Mayor.  .  .  .  He  said  that  he  was  very  much  pleased  to 
have  met  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore.  It  was  very  creditable  to  him 
that  his  hospitable  nature  rose  superior  to  his  party  predilections. 
.  .  .  He  said  he  could  not  express  what  he  felt  regarding  the 
Mayor  better  than  by  telling  a  story. 

"  Two  friends,  the  one  a  Eepublican,  the  other  a  Democrat,  went 
into  a  saloon,  where  they  found  a  man  dead  drunk,  bespattered  with 
mud,  .  .  .  lying  in  a  corner  of  the  room.  Said  the  Democrat, 
*  I'll  bet  you  five  dollars  that  fellow  is  a  Eepublican.' 

"  'It  is  a  go,'  replied  the  Eepublican. 

"  The  fellow  was  aroused  and  they  said, '  We  have  got  a  bet  about 
you.    Are  you  a  Democrat,  or  a  Eepublican  ? ' 

" '  Well,'  said  the  fellow,  after  rubbing  his  eyes, '  I  have  the  repu- 


150  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

tation  of  being  the  biggest  liar  in  the  country,  I  have  even  been  ac- 
cused of  stealing,  and  you  see  I  like  whiskey.  I  have  every  symp- 
tom of  being  a  Democrat,  but  I  am  a  Eepublican/  Now,  the  Mayor 
has  every  symptom  of  being  a  Eepublican,  but  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat."   .     .     . 

Baltimore,  May  5,  1889. 
.  .  .  This  afternoon  .  .  .  mamma,  Julius,  and  I  took  a 
little  drive  in  the  park.  ...  It  was  the  first  time  we  have 
seen  the  dogwood  in  bloom  this  year.  We  enjoyed  the  "  out"  very 
much.  The  park  looks  lovely,  and,  from  the  very  large  number  of 
people  we  saw  there,  it  is  certain  that  a  good  many  others  think  as 
we  do.  The  only  thing  we  had  to  object  to  was  that  the  Eutaw 
Street  road  leading  to  and  from  the  park  was  not  sprinkled  and  the 
dust  was  in  evidence  in  uncomfortable  quantities.  We  have  a  strin- 
gent Sunday  law  here  still :  no  beer  in  the  city,  and  no  water  on  the 
roads.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  June  16,  1889. 

Dr.  and  Mrs paid  us  a  visit  this  evening,  and  they  just 

left.  The  Doctor  is  very  good  company.  He  told  me  that  A [his 

daughter]  had  remarked  to  [her  sister]  H that  hitherto  she 

could  not  altogether  believe  the  account  that  the  Bible  gave  of  the 

Deluge,  but  since  the  Johnstown  flood  she  could  believe  it.   H 

told  her  father  to  talk  to  her  on  the  subject.    He  did  not  reveal  that 

H had  said  anything  to  him.    At  the  table  he  referred  to  the 

Johnstown  calamity,  and  said  that  when  he  first  read  the  account  of 
it  in  the  papers  he  could  not  credit  it,  but  he  was  reminded  of  the 
Flood  in  the  Bible,  and  then  he  believed  that  the  account  was  true. 
A looked  very  astonished,  but  said  nothing.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  June  26,  1889. 
In  your  last  letter  you  speak  of  the  Anti-Semitic  convention  that 
met  at  Bochum  [Westphalia] .    It  is  very  painful  to  see  these  move- 


Letters.  151 

ments  going  on,  and  I  agree  with  you  that  it  bodes  ill  for  our  co- 
religionists in  Germany.  In  a  country  where  the  people  have  their 
rights  and  are  anxious  to  maintain  them  this  could  not  happen. 
When  a  man  becomes  a  voter,  I  mean  a  voter  in  the  sense  that  we 
use  the  term  in  this  country,  he  becomes  a  factor  in  the  state  whose 
rights  cannot  be  encroached  upon.  In  the  first  place,  parties  learn 
too  well  the  importance  of  not  giving  ofllense  to  any  special  class  of 
citizens,  and,  in  the  second  place,  people  who  have  studied  a  demo- 
cratic government  practically,  realize  that  the  precedent  of  any 
class  being  proscribed  endangers  the  rights  of  others.  The  Germans 
have  not  studied  freedom  in  this  practical  way,  indeed  they  have 
not  studied  it  at  all.  They  have  prated  about  it,  but  they  have  never 
approached  the  subject  seriously.  They  feel  uncomfortable  under 
the  present  regime,  and,  as  they  can't  right  matters,  they  find  some 
consolation  in  oppressing  the  Jews.  They  bear  more  complacently 
the  kicks  to  which  they  are  all  constantly  subjected  because  they  are 
permitted  to  kick  others.  But  this  cannot  last  forever,  I  agree  with 
you  that  it  will  be  made  very  unpleasant  for  our  people,  but  this 
will  be  only  for  a  time.  Popular  government  will  eventually  assert 
itself  in  all  civilized  countries,  and  where  this  prevails  it  will  be 
impossible  for  any  part  of  the  people  to  have  their  rights  curtailed. 
The  trials  through  which  our  brethren  will  have  to  go  will  have  a 
salutary  influence  also.  It  will  open  their  eyes  to  their  past  un- 
worthiness.  It  will  make  them  realize  that  they  have  been  too 
willing  in  the  past  to  barter  their  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage. 
Desertion  and  conversion  have  lost  their  ancient  horrors  when  [the 
deserters  are]  bribed  with  a  little  reward.  How  willing  were  many 
of  the  cultured  or  the  so-called  cultured  to  despise  their  brethren,  so 
that  they  might  escape  being  recognized  as  akin  to  them.  There 
has  never  been  a  German  Rothschild  who,  although  sent  year  after 
year  to  Parliament,  refused  to  take  his  seat  rather  than  prove  a 
renegade.  And  finally  his  manliness  had  to  be  recognized,  but  that 
11 


153  Aakon  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

happened  in  England,  and  there  are  Englishmen  there,  Englishmen 
who  know  the  value  of  liberty  and  can  understand  those  who  are 
striving  for  liberty.  The  Germans  have  never  secured  anything  for 
themselves,  and  they  cannot  be  generous  enough  to  yield  to  others 
anything  that  they  can  withhold  from  them.  What  can  you  expect 
from  a  nation  that  has  coined  such  a  word  as  Schadenfreude  9  .  .  . 

Baltimore,  August  14,  1889. 
Yesterday  the  intelligence  was  flashed  to  us  that  Uncle  Moses 
died  at  one  o'clock.  His  sufferings  were  so  great  during  the  past 
week  that  we  hoped  that  they  would  soon  be  at  an  end.  And  still  it 
was  a  shock  to  me  when  the  news  came.  Poor  fellow,  he  had  a  hard 
lot  of  it  these  fifteen  years,  and  yet  he  was  so  grateful  for  the  little 
respite  that  occasionally  was  granted  him.  He  was  a  good  man  in 
the  true  sense  of  the  word.  .  .  .  He  was  a  good  brother  to  me 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  This  I  shall  never  forget.  He  un- 
derstood me  when  no  one  else  in  the  family  did.  I  shall  cherish  his 
memory.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  November  20,  1889. 
.  .  .  You  are  mistaken  when  you  say  that  Baltimore  is  the 
worst  governed  city  in  the  Union.  Something  similar  to  what  we 
complain  of  exists  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  every  large  city  in 
the  United  States.  People  are  beginning  to  realize  the  injury  it  is 
doing,  and  they  are  bestirring  themselves  to  remedy  the  evil,  and  it 
will  not  be  so  very  long  before  their  endeavors  will  be  rewarded. 
Election  laws  are  beginning  to  be  improved  everywhere,  and  this 
will  eventually  prove  the  downfall  of  bossism.  I  have  great  hopes 
that  there  will  be  a  great  improvement  in  politics  in  this  country. 
I  see  such  a  very  decided  improvement  over  the  condition  of  affairs 
when  I  was  a  young  man  that  I  am  not  so  very  much  discouraged 
by  the  continuance  of  the  evils  we  complain  of  today.  The  world 
is  going  ahead.     .     .     . 


Letters.  153 

Baltimore,  December  22,  1889. 
First  of  all  let  me  thank  you  for  your  beautiful  letter  congratu- 
lating me  on  my  birthday,  together  with  the  photographs  of  the 
Alt-Neu  Schule  which  you  sent  me  as  a  birthday  present.  I  appre- 
ciated them  very  much,  for  they  pleasantly  recall  to  me  my  memories 
of  Prague.  It  is  no  little  satisfaction,  when  the  years  are  being 
piled  on  one's  back,  and  especially  at  the  time  when  one  begins  to 
feel  their  increasing  weight,  to  be  surrounded  by  those  whose  love 
he  has,  and  who  show  their  willingness  and  readiness  to  make  the 
load  a  little  less  burdensome  if  they  can.  Your  affectionate  words 
made  a  deep  impression  upon  me,  and,  although  you  were  not  with 
us  when  the  presents  were  spread  out  and  the  congratulations  of  the 
family  extended  in  turn,  and  the  egg-nog  drunk,  and  the  cakes 
eaten,  and  the  nuts  cracked,  it  seemed  that  you  were  not  so  far  off. 
This  birthday  had  one  thing  in  particular  to  add  to  its  good  cheer, 
and  that  was  that  it  pointed  to  the  time,  .  .  .  not  very  far  off, 
.  .  .  which  will  bring  you  back  to  us  again,  and  we  can  all  be 
together.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  December  25,  1889. 
.  .  .  Last  Monday  night  the  new  City  Hospital  was  inaugu- 
rated. His  Eminence  the  Cardinal  was  the  most  prominent  figure 
of  the  occasion.  The  exercises  were  .  .  .  quite  imposing. 
The  first  address  was  made  by  the  Cardinal,  who  spoke  well,  and 
his  speech  was  well  received.  Among  other  things  ...  he  em- 
phasized the  statement  that  hospitals  were  the  outcome  of  Chris- 
tianity. He  stated  that  before  the  Christian  era  hospitals  did  not 
exist,  that  the  Greeks  and  Eomans  knew  nothing  about  them,  and 
that  the  word  could  not  be  found  anywhere  until  it  was  coined  by 
the  Christians  who  built  them.  .  .  .  The  last  speaker  was  Dr. 
^xundry,  who  represented  the  faculty.  By  some  strange  coincidence, 
he  and  the  Cardinal  both  regarded  it  as  important  that  the  origin 


154  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

of  hospitals  should  be  touched  upon.  Gundry's  touch,  however, 
gave  forth  quite  a  different  sound.  He  traced  the  origin  of  hospitals 
a  little  further  back  than  did  the  Cardinal,  and  he  found  them 
spoken  of  among  the  Greeks  and  Eomans  and  other  ancient  nations, 
centuries  before  the  coming  of  Christ.  Gundry's  contradiction  must 
have  startled  the  Cardinal  somewhat  and  his  friends  also,  but  no 
offense  could  be  taken,  for  so  it  was  written  in  his  speech,  and  he 
could  not  have  been  aware  at  the  time  of  writing  what  cardinal 
error  he  would  have  to  correct.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  January  22,  1890. 
So  you  are  now  in  Paris,  with  all  that  is  great  and  beautiful  and 
interesting  in  that  great  city  before  you,  and  all  the  charming  recol- 
lections of  your  Italian  trip  behind  you.  I  shall  never  forget  the 
impression  that  Paris  made  on  me  when  I  arrived  there,  one  night 
in  1861.  The  city  appeared  to  me  to  be  ablaze.  Paris  was  in  its 
glory  then.  It  was  the  metropolis  of  a  great  Empire,  and  seemed 
proud  of  its  Emperor.  Napoleon  III,  then  supposed  great,  was  the 
master  of  France,  and  France  willingly  submitted  to  his  dominion, 
for  through  him  France  had  become  the  mistress  of  Europe.  I  re- 
member well  a  cartoon  in  a  humorous  paper  which  aptly  represented 
the  feelings  of  Europe  toward  the  French  Emperor  at  that  time. 
Napoleon  III  was  made  to  appear  as  a  schoolboy,  viewing  a  map 
that  was  spread  before  him,  over  which  he  had  capsized  the  ink- 
bottle,  with  the  result  of  causing  a  good  many  boundary  lines  to 
disappear,  and  chuckling,  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets  and  his  legs 
in  ...  a  strut,  at  the  trick  he  had  perpetrated.  I  did  not  ad- 
mire the  Emperor  much,  nor  did  the  French  people  make  a  very 
favorable  impression  upon  me.  I  hope  they  have  improved  with  the 
changes  that  have  since  taken  place.  They  seemed  to  me  frivolous, 
unreliable,  and  manifesting  a  strange  aversion  to  telling  the  truth. 
.     .     .     "  Glory  "  was  the  watchword  of  the  army,  and  carried  its 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 

i8or 


however, 
hospitals 


.  with  all  that  is  great  and  beautiful  and 

interesting  in  that  great  city  before  you,  and  all  the  charming  recol- 

vf  your  Italian  trip  behind  you.    I  shall  never  forget  the 


T  .,,,.^-..,)  ti,,-v,..->  ,,,  .^  ^,;.t1,j- 


npire,  fi 


at  that  time. 

iig  a  map 

•  the  ink- 

.'  lines  to 

s  legs 

trick  he  had  pe  ot  ad- 

1  me.  ^''l  hope  t^ 

^...  . .-..  -i.ken  place.  T 

^,  and  manifesting  a  strange  : 

ory  "  was  the  watchw  ed  its 


Letters.  155 

infection  through  the  whole  nation.  It  was  looked  upon  as  some- 
thing above  everything  else,  no  matter  how  it  was  attained  or  how 
short  a  time  it  could  be  held.  A  would-be  savant  would  be  satisfied 
to  startle  the  world  with  a  statement  for  the  sake  of  the  glory  it 
would  give  him  for  twenty-four  hours,  even  if  he  knew  he  would 
be  branded  as  the  biggest  liar  in  existence  afterwards.  I  believe 
that  the  very  unexpected  chastisement  which  they  received  from  the 
Germans  must  have  had  a  very  salutary  influence.  It  showed  that 
what  they  had  taken  for  granted,  viz.,  that  they  were  the  greatest 
and  the  most  powerful  nation  in  the  world,  was  a  fallacy.  ...  I 
believe  that,  besides  ridding  the  nation  of  an  unprincipal  usurper 
and  restoring  the  republic,  their  defeat  has  been  a  good  thing  for 
the  French  in  many  other  respects.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  February  2,  1890. 
.  .  .  I  have  not  the  time  to  follow  up  politics  as  closely  as  I 
formerly  did.  I  am  ashamed  to  say  that  there  are  many  things  go- 
ing on  in  politics  that  I  am  entirely  ignorant  about.  I  am,  there- 
fore, forced  to  resort  to  a  simple  method  by  which  I  can  judge  how 
things  are  going.  When  the  Democrats  are  crestfallen,  and  howl 
about  injustice  being  done  them,  and  seem  much  concerned  about 
the  safety  of  the  Constitution,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  coun- 
try is  pretty  safe. 

The  following  letter  was  written  to  Mrs.  Jane  Friedenwald, 
widow  of  his  brother  Moses. 

Baltimore,  September  10,  1893. 
Dear  Jane^ 

The  Old  Year  is  paying  its  farewell  calls,  and  we  are  getting 
ready  properly  to  receive  our  unknown  guest,  the  New  Year.  This 
new  guest  will  be  with  us  in  weal  and  woe  for  the  next  twelve 
months.  What  a  preacher  would  say  on  this  subject!  What  foolish 
things  many  preachers  do  say  in  this  regard  and  still  have  to  be 


156  Aaron"  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

listened  to !  I  am  no  preacher,  and  therefore  I  am  not  required  to 
say  anything.  I  am  very  glad  of  it.  I  am  sure  you  are,  too.  There 
is  one  thing,  however,  which  I  am  permitted  to  say,  and  I  will  say 
it  with  all  my  heart.  I  hope  that  you  will  find  the  new  guest  a 
pleasant  and  agreeable  one,  that  he  will  annoy  you  at  no  time,  that 
you  will  never  wish  that  he  had  never  come,  nor  that  his  stay  were 
soon  over;  that,  when  he  also  will  finally  take  his  leave,  you  will  be 
in  the  mood  to  say  that  you  would  be  content  to  have  all  of  those 
who  may  succeed  him  be  just  as  he  was.  Now,  if  you  know  how  to 
wish  yourself  anything  better,  just  make  out  the  account,  and  I  will 
cheerfully  sign  it  "  Approved."    God  bless  you  all. 


CHAPTEE  YIII. 

Trip  to  Europe  (1895). 

In  1895  my  father,  accompanied  by  my  mother,  made  a  long- 
contemplated  trip  to  Europe,  spending  three  months  in  visiting 
England,  Holland,  Belgium,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Austria,  and 
France.  He  had  not  gone  abroad  since  1860,  and,  on  being  asked 
if  he  went  to  Europe  often,  he  replied,  "  Yes,  every  thirty-five 
years."  The  following  letters  are  selected  from  the  extensive  cor- 
respondence with  his  children  which  he  kept  up  while  abroad. 

London,  June  11,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

Yesterday  morning  we  "did"  the  Tower  of  London.  When  we 
approached  the  place  of  which  we  had  heard  so  much  we  expected 
that  it  would  speak  for  itself,  and  it  did.  The  old  grey  walls  and 
sturdy  towers  make  a  powerful  impression  upon  one.  .  .  .  The 
*'  beef -eaters  "  in  their  uniform,  the  same  as  was  worn  in  the  time 
of  King  Henry  viij  (8th)  (a  fellow  can't  well  rid  himself  of  the 
habits  of  his  trade)  gave  character  to  the  scene.     .     .     . 

London  has  changed  very  much  since  last  I  saw  it.  Some  of  the 
streets  have  been  widened,  and  fine  buildings  of  rare  architectural 
effect  now  occupy  the  place  of  ancient  rookeries.  Many  new  public 
buildings  have  been  erected,  and  nowhere  have  I  seen  such  fine  ar- 
chitecture  

The  hall  of  the  court  is  magnificent.  The  Judges  and  barristers 
in  their  wigs  and  gowns  looked  queer,  but  extremely  interesting, 
and  it  was  a  grand  sight  to  see  the  common  people  coming  before 
the  Court  of  Appeals  and  laying  their  cases  before  it  in  person. 


158  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

The  Master  of  the  Rolls,  who,  by  the  way,  is  the  successor  of  the 
late  Sir  George  Jessel,  listened  patiently  and  good-naturedly  to  all 
who  came  before  him.  A  lady  complained  that  she  went  to  see 
Eothschild,  but  .  .  .  could  get  no  hearing  from  him,  and  that 
she  wanted  the  will  of  Lord  Beaconsfield  probated  anew,  as  he  had 
made  her  his  sole  heir.  The  good  lady  evidently  was  laboring  under 
some  mental  derangement.  It  was  remarkable  how  patiently  the 
Judge  listened  to  the  poor  lady,  how  respectfully  he  asked  her  to 
tell  her  story,  how  amiably  he  put  the  questions,  and  how  evidently 
pained  he  was  when  he  said,  "  We  can  do  nothing  for  you." 

I  will  have  to  draw  a  long  breath  before  I  can  say  anything  about 
Westminster  Abbey.  It  exceeds  anything  I  could  have  conceived. 
I  will  wait  until  the  morning,  until  I  write  more. 

London,  June  12,  1895. 
Well,  I  have  had  a  whole  day  to  take  that  breath,  and  I  am  not 
prepared  to  give  a  description  [of  the  impression]  that  the  Abbey 
made  upon  me.  It  is  a  grand  building,  and  the  monuments  of  the 
distinguished  persons  who  have  been  buried  or  commemorated 
here     .     .     .     must  awaken  an  intense  interest  in  even  the  dullest. 

OsTEND,  June  18,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

On  the  whole,  London  has  made  a  very  deep  impression  upon 
me,  and  the  high  opinion  which  I  had  hitherto  held  of  England  and 
the  Englishman  has  been  fully  confirmed.  I  like  the  Englishman 
as  a  Jew,  and  I  like  him  as  an  Englishman.  There  is  such  a  sturdi- 
ness  of  character,  a  self-consciousness  that  distinguishes  him  that 
cannot  fail  to  command  respect.  England  is  very  old,  but  the  na- 
tion does  not  show  decay.  Even  without  a  big  army  and  with  big 
armies  all  around  her,  I  feel  that  England  has  nothing 
to  fear.     ... 


Trip  to  Europe.  159 

Mayence,  June  33,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

Yesterday  was  appropriated  to  the  Ehine.  It  was  a  glorious  day, 
and,  although  we  were  going  from  9.45  A.  M.,  when  we  left  Co- 
logne, till  9.30  P.  M.,  when  we  reached  Mayence,  the  day  was  not 
too  long.  The  beautiful  scenery  that  met  our  eyes  on  all  sides,  the 
majestic  mountains  that  seemed  to  stand  as  guards  of  the  silvery 
stream,  the  many  castles  and  ruins  that  told  their  stories  of  olden 
times,  and  the  curious  legends  that  were  read  to  us  from  the  guide 
books  and  the  equally  curious  comments  that  were  made  upon  them, 
furnished  us  with  a  program  not  only  sufficiently  full  to  provide  for 
a  day's  enjoyment,  but  making  an  impression  which  will  last  a 
lifetime.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  Ehine  is  so  dear  to 
the  German  heart,  and  that  the  German  nation  has  been  willing  to 
give  so  much  of  its  blood  for  its  possession. 

We  took  the  train  to  Bonn,  which  is  a  short  ride,  because  we  were 
told  that  the  scenery  up  to  that  city  offered  nothing  of  special  in- 
terest. "We  had  most  excellent  company,  from  whom  we  did  not 
part  during  an  entire  day.  Mr.  B.,  general  passenger  agent  of  the 
Fremont,  Elkhorn,  and  Missouri  Valley  and  Sioux  City  and  Pacific 
R.  R.  of  Omaha,  and  his  wife,  and  an  Irish  Catholic  priest,  about 
thirty  years  old,  formed  our  party,  and  we  had  a  very  fine  time  to- 
gether. The  B.'s  were  typical  Americans,  intelligent,  refined,  and 
sociable.  The  priest  was  a  "  character,"  and  he  liked  fun,  knew 
how  to  take  a  joke,  and  told,  his  stories  in  his  rich  brogue,  which 
lent  an  especial  charm  to  them.    Later  in  the  day  a  discussion  on 

religious  topics  arose  between  Mrs.  B and  the  priest,  which 

was  very  interesting.  They  subjected  the  Father  to  a  very  rigid 
cross-examination,  of  course  in  a  very  courteous  manner,  and  the 
priest  from  his  standpoint  answered  without  the  slightest  reserve, 
and  no  one  who  heard  him  speak  in  his  simple  manner  and  saw  his 
good-natured  face  could  doubt  his  sincerity.    The  priest  is  on  his 


160  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

three-weeks  vacation,  spending  some  of  the  forty  pounds  which, 
together  with  his  maintenance,  form  his  salary,  and  seemed  as 
happy  as  a  boy  on  his  first  picnic.     ... 

Mayence,  June  25,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

...     Yesterday     .     .     .     afternoon     .     .  we     saw     the 

two  synagogues,  the  one  the  Eeformed,  the  other  the  Orthodox. 
They  are  well-built  structures,  but  there  is  nothing  striking  about 
them.  .  .  .  The  Eeform  movement  has  not  gone  to  the  lengths 
which  characterize  it  in  America.  The  Orthodox  seem  very  intol- 
erant, provoked  to  a  great  extent,  probably,  by  the  irreligious  con- 
duct of  the  Reformers,  who,  while  they  are  comparatively  moderate 
in  the  changes  which  they  have  introduced  into  the  service,  have 
fully  come  up  to  our  American  Reformers  in  their  unobservant 
conduct,  and  are  probably  lacking  in  the  generous  interest  in  Jew- 
ish institutions  which  our  Reformers  have  retained.     .     .     . 

Wiesbaden,  June  27,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  [On  our]  trip  to  Worms  we  visited  the  synagogue  and 
were  deeply  impressed.  It  must  be  nearly  a  thousand  years  old. 
It  is  built  so  that  the  women  were  provided  for  in  an  annex  in  the 
shape  of  the  letter  L.  At  the  side  of  the  synagogue  is  the  "  Rashi 
Kapelle."  There  are  some  fine  pillars  in  the  synagogue,  the 
ceiling  is  rather  high,  and  the  old,  finely-shaped  lamps  hang  as 
they  have  hung  these  many  centuries.  There  are  two  lamps  con- 
stantly burning  ...  in  memory  of  two  men  who,  on  the 
charge  being  made  that  the  Jews  poisoned  the  well,  became  mar- 
tyrs, saying  that  they  were  the  iguilty  ones.  There  are  some  who 
still  fast  on  the  day  commemorating  the  event,  and  Kaddish  * 
is  said  for  the  martyrs.     On  the  Almemar   [reading-desk]    are 

'  The  prayer  recited  in  memory  of  the  dead. 


Trip  to  Europe.  161 

several  prayer-books  written  on  parchment  many,  many  centuries 
ago,  in  one  of  which  the  prayers  have  been  greatly  curtailed  be- 
cause, it  is  said,  the  congregation  feared  an  assault  at  any  moment, 
and  it  was  considered  wise  not  to  remain  in  the  synagogue  any 
longer  than  was  absolutely  necessary.  One  of  these  prayer-books 
is  in  Eashi's  Beth  ha-Midrash;  it  is  very  finely  illuminated,  simi- 
larly to  those  seen  in  the  British  Museum  and  so  generally  admired. 
But  just  think  of  an  organ  having  been  placed  in  the  synagogue 
made  famous  by  reason  of  age  and  of  having  been  the  sphere  of  ac- 
tivity of  one  of  the  greatest  scholars,  if  not  the  greatest  scholar, 
ever  yet  arisen  in  Israel!  What  would  the  world  say 
if  the  house  in  which  Shakespeare  was  born  should  be  desecrated 
in  a  similar  way?     .     .     • 

Geneva,  Ereh  [Eve  of]  4th  July,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

Here  we  are  in  a  most  beautiful  city,  where  everything  looks 
bright,  music  and  song  fill  the  air,  the  beautiful  lake  lies  proudly 
at  our  feet,  the  beautiful  blue  waters  of  the  Khone  dash  headlong 
on  their  course,  and  the  graceful  swans  float  proudly  here  and  there 
and  seem  to  say,  "  What  would  Geneva  be  without  us  ?" 

The  country  between  Basle  and  Neufchatel  is  one  con- 
tinuous .  .  .  magnificent  landscape.  Towering  mountains 
meet  the  eye  on  either  side,  and  a  beautiful  little  river  follows  us 
almost  all  the  way.  Sometimes  the  river  disappears  for  a  short 
time,  and  then  suddenly  announces  itself  again,  as  if  to  play  a 
game  of  hide  and  seek.  Wild  flowers  of  the  most  variegated  colors 
abound,  and  one  never  .  .  .  gets  tired  of  the  grand  panorama 
which  nature  offers.  We  have  been  quite  lucky  in  always  meeting 
good  company,  who  seem  to  enjoy  the  great  pleasure  which  we  old 
people,  as  they  think  we  are,  get  out  of  this  big  excursion  of 
ours. 

.     .     .     Some  time  before  reaching  Neufchatel  we  were  met  by 


163  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  lake  bearing  that  name.  It  was  a  beautiful  surprise.  It  was 
an  enchanting  sight.  Such  a  fine  play  of  colors  as  this  lake  presents 
has  a  most  brilliant  effect.  We,  that  is,  mamma  and  I,  differed  a 
little  about  the  exact  color,  mamma  calling  it  blue,  while  I  inclined 
to  name  it  green.  It  won't  do  for  co-voyageurs  to  quarrel,  and  so 
we  compromised  on  either  bluish  green  or  greenish  blue.     .     .     . 

The  site  upon  which  Neufchatel  is  built  has  not  been  especially 
levelled.  As  we  drove  along  the  streets  we  had  buildings  looking 
down  upon  us  as  from  the  high  hills,  and  away  down  in  the  valley 
the  tiled  roofs  and  high  chimneys  looked  as  if  they  modestly  con- 
cealed what  was  below  them.     .     .     . 

Interlaken,  July  5,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

Wherever  people  speak  French  they  require  an  extra  amount  of 
outdoors  to  live  in.  This  we  found  to  be  the  case  in  Brussels,  again 
in  Geneva,  and  I  have  the  same  recollection  of  Paris.  There  are 
many  cafes  here,  all  having  ample  provision  for  guests  who  prefer 
eating  and  drinking  in  the  open  air.  I  noticed  that  here  not  only 
is  a  part  of  the  sidewalk  occupied  in  this  way,  as  in  Brussels  and 
Paris,  but  sometimes  the  whole  of  the  sidewalk  is  occupied,  so  that 
those  who  wish  to  pass  are  perfectly  satisfied  to  walk  in  the 
street.     .     .     . 

Berne  is  a  queer  old  town,  and  seems  very  true  to  its  traditions. 
I  found  in  the  same  old  Bdrengrube  the  same  old  bears,  that  is  to 
say,  bears  that  looked  much  like  those  which  were  sought  for  by 
sightseers  thirty-five  years  ago.  Bears  look  very  much  alike  any- 
way, and  I  did  not  go  to  the  trouble  to  find  out  whether  they  were 
of  the  old  or  of  a  new  generation.     .     .     . 

Zurich,  July  10,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  When  we  arose  last  Sunday  morning  [at  Interlaken]  we 
received  a  most  friendly  greeting  from  the  Jungfrau,  robed  in  the 


Trip  to  Europe.  163 

purest  white,  and  presenting  a  picture  of  grandeur  and  purity  that 
will  long  be  remembered  by  us.  It  was  not  without  regret  that  we 
had  to  turn  our  backs  upon  this  grand  place.  We  took  the  boat  on 
the  lake  of  Brienz,  and  sailed  smoothly  over  its  beautiful  blue 
waters,  passing  a  number  of  small  towns  forming  favored  resorts. 
On  either  side  we  had  the  most  sublime  mountain  views,  and,  look- 
ing back,  the  snow-capped  mountains  continued  smiling  upon  us. 
These  trips  upon  the  Swiss  lakes  remind  one  very  much  of  the 
pleasant  traveling  on  the  Ehine,  the  scenery  here  being  even 
grander.  .  .  .  We  reached  our  destination,  at  Giessbach,  about 
ten  o'clock.  Here  we  saw  the  falls  before  leaving  the  boat.  We 
walked  up  to  the  hotel,  from  whose  veranda  we  got  a  full  view  of 
the  Giessbach  leaping  from  a  great  eminence,  alighting  lower,  and 
then  making  another  grand  plunge,  and  so  making  three  or  four 
great  leaps  before  reaching  the  bottom  and  finally  diving  into  the 
lake  of  Brienz.     .     .     . 

Berlin,  August  6,  1895. 
Dear  Chii,dren, 

.  .  .  I  visited  Grasfe's  [his  teacher's]  monument  and  was 
deeply  affected.  The  statue  is  lifelike;  I  imagined  I  could  hear 
him  talk.     .     ,    . 

The  Hague,  August  16,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  In  [Amsterdam]  .  .  .  the  Portuguese  and  German 
congregations,  as  in  every  place  else,  form  separate  organizations. 
The  original  Portuguese  settlers  were  very  rich,  and  for  a  long 
time  remained  the  wealthy  part  of  the  Jews  of  Holland.  The  Ger- 
man Jews  now  not  only  outnumber  them,  but  are  also  much 
wealthier.  The  PortU|guese  lost  their  fortunes,  but  not  their  pride, 
although  they  are  now  perfectly  willing  to  intermarry  with  the 
Germans. 


164  Aaeon  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

The  condition  ...  of  Judaism  in  Holland  is  nnique. 
Whatever  private  opinions  may  exist,  there  is  a  general  acquiescence 
in  the  idea  that  the  Judaism  of  Holland  must  not  suffer  from  the 
inroads  that  have  proved  so  destructive  everywhere  else.  The  Sab- 
bath is  universally  kept,  and  the  dietary  laws  are  everywhere  ad- 
hered to 

Pakis,  August  30,  1895. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  In  The  Hague  ...  on  Friday  evening  I  went  to 
the  German  synagogue,  a  very  fine  .  .  .  building,  about  fifty 
years  old,  where  I  found  a  very  large  congregation  in  attendance. 
.  .  .  I  again  attended  the  synagogue  on  Saturday  morning,  I 
heard  a  very  good  Chazzan.  There  were  two  peculiarities  which  I 
noticed,  namely  the  two  hymns  Shir  Jia-Yichud  and  Shir  ha-Kabod, 
which  are  sung  with  us  before  Yigdal,  were  said  just  before  the 
Torah  was  taken  out,  and  another  still  more  surprising  peculiarity 
of  the  service  is  that  the  Kohanim  "duchan,"  which  they  do  with 
us  only  on  Yom-toh.  The  attendance  was  so  large  that  it  was 
difficult  to  get  a  seat.  The  Dutch  Jews  are  very  conservative,  per- 
haps more  so  than  any  of  our  people  anywhere  else  in  Europe. 
There  is  much  Hebrew  studied,  and  one  meets  with  many  who  are 
Lanidanim  [learned] . 

.  .  .  On  Monday  morning,  ...  we  took  a  carriage  for 
the  Eiffel  Tower,  and  went  up  to  the  second  landing  and  spent  quite 
a  time  there  inspecting  the  city  through  our  opera  glasses  and  a 
telescope  that  was  in  position  on  the  platform.  It  was  a  grand 
sight.  I  recognized  many  points  from  my  previous  recollection  of 
them.  In  driving  out  we  passed  through  a  very  fine  part  of  the 
town,  and  had  the  interesting  buildings  pointed  out  to  us.  Near 
the  Eiffel  Tower  there  floats  over  the  Seine  a  balloon  called  the 
ballon  captif,  as  it  was  captured  during  the  Franco-Prussian 
war.    Well,  we  saw  more  than  its  equivalent  in  Berlin.     .     .     . 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 


scence 


bat..  ^ 
hered  t^ 


good  C  ^'o  peculiarities  which  I 

jIv  the  T  ha-Kabod, 


aJAWH303m^    HOflAA 


CHAPTER  IX. 
Oriental  Trip  (1898). 

A  visit  to  the  Holy  Land,  which  had  been  the  dream  of  my 
father's  life,  as  it  is  the  ideal  of  every  pious  Jew,  was  made  by 
my  parents  in  the  summer  of  1898.  They  proceeded  by  way  of 
Gibraltar  and  Naples  to  Egypt  and  thence  to  Palestine,  where 
they  spent  a  month.  Their  route  homewards  passed  through 
Greece,  Italy,  Switzerland,  Germany,  England,  and  Scotland.  Ex- 
tracts from  the  letters  written  from  abroad  by  my  father  to  his 
children  follow;  a  picture  completer  and  in  greater  detail  of  his 
impressions  of  the  land  of  Israel,  however,  is  given  by  the  two 
addresses  which  he  delivered  after  his  return,  selections  from  which 
are  reprinted  in  a  later  portion  of  this  book. 

S.  S.  AUer,  April  20,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  The  Eeverend  Dr.  Collyer^  invited  me  yesterday  to  sit 
beside  him  and  we  had  a  very  interesting  conversation  on  the  subject 
of  Zionism.  He  seemed  much  interested  in  what  I  had  to  say  to  him 
supplementary  to  my  paper  ["Lovers  of  Zion"],  and  asked  me 
to  send  him  anything  I  might  publish  as  a  result  of  my  visit  to 
Palestine.    He  is  a  Unitarian.     .     .     . 

S.  S.  AlUr,  Friday,  April  22,  1898. 
.     .     .     The  ship  swarms  with  priests,  Irish,  American,  Polish,  • 
and  German.     They  are  a  jolly  set.     .     .     .     Old  men  are  con- 
spicuous here  with  young  wives.    They  seem  to  me  to  have  a  feeling 
that  they  have  made  fools  of  themselves,  and  to  want  to  go  where 

*  The  Reverend  Robert  Collyer,  pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Messiah, 
New  York. 


166  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

they  won't  be  so  nmch  observed.  There  are,  strange  to  say,  a  few 
Americans  here,  sedate,  dignified,  American.  Plenty  of  Germans 
who  seem  to  enjoy  themselves  and  trouble  no  one  else.  Italians  in 
the  cabin  who  seem  to  be  affluent  and  return  for  a  while  to  their  na- 
tive heath,  while  the  steerage  is  composed  entirely  of  Italians  of 
the  poorer  class — among  whom  there  are  sixty-four  who  have  been 
sent  home  by  the  immigration  officers. 

Yesterday  they  tried  to  make  us  see  something  of  the  Azores,  but 
few  could  make  themselves  believe  that  they  did  see  what  was 
pointed  out.  Last  night  we  were  told  that  we  should  come  very 
near  the  Azores  this  morning,  and  so  I  got  up  before  five  and  was 
immediately  followed  by  mamma,  and  we  were  fully  repaid.  Cer- 
tainly it  was  a  most  picturesque  scene.  We  had  passed  a  number 
of  the  group  durin^g  the  night.  The  one  which  we  beheld  in  all  its 
glory  was  San  Miguel.  It  rises  abruptly  out  of  the  sea,  presenting 
a  bright  green  color,  with  undulating  mountains.  The  city,  which 
we  saw,  looked  like  a  fairy  spot.  Every  inch  of  ground  seems  to  be 
in  the  highest  state  of  cultivation.  The  panorama  lasted  fully  two 
hours,  which  was  a  most  enjoyable  break  in  the  general  monotony 
of  the  voyage.     .     .     . 

Gibraltar,  April  25,  1898. 
We  have  done  the  town,  and  are  now  off  for  the  ship.    It  was 
glorious.     England  is  great,  even  out  of  England.     .     .     . 

S.  S.  Aller,  April  26,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  Our  neighbor,  the  Armenian,  who,  every  now  and  then, 
after  sauntering  away  for  a  while,  comes  back  aglow  to  dispose  of 
a  new  story  that  he  has  heard,  has  nearly  exhausted  his  resources. 
Many  of  his  stories  were  old.  .  .  .  One,  however,  was  new  to 
me,  and  is  worthy  of  preservation  for  a  reasonable  time.    Here  it  is. 


Oriental  Trip.  167 

A  sign  put  up  on  a  certain  road  was  described  by  a  German  to  an 
Englishman.  It  bore  a  notice  that  to  the  right  was  the  road  to  a 
certain  town,  and,  further,  that  those  who  could  not  read  might  in- 
quire at  the  blacksmith's  opposite.  The  man  who  told  the  story 
expected,  naturally,  to  get  a  laugh  out  of  the  Englishman's  stolid 
features.  What  a  disappointment !  The  Englishman's  face  showed 
simply  bewilderment.  He  could  not  see  where  the  laugh  came 
in.  .  .  .  Next  morning  the  Englishman  approached  the  story 
teller  with  glowing  countenance,  saying,  "  I  see  it  now,  it  is  a  good 
joke.  How  the  man  would  be  fooled  if  the  blacksmith  were  not  at 
home!"     .     .     . 

On  Sunday,  April  24  .  .  .  there  were  services  conducted 
by  the  Eeverend  Dr.  Collyer.  He  has  the  reputation  of  being  a  great 
preacher.  I  was,  therefore,  anxious  to  hear  him,  and  I  heard  per- 
haps the  best  sermon  I  have  ever  listened  to.  He  is  a  master  of 
his  art,  and  what  gave  special  merit  to  his  wonderful  effort  was 
that  he  had  the  delicacy  to  realize  the  situation,  and  in  the  selec- 
tion and  treatment  of  his  subject  he  gave  what  was  acceptable  to 
all,  and  what  would  have  been  suitable  in  any  pulpit.  He  read  a 
portion  from  Job  as  one  part  of  the  service,  and  then  selected  his 
text  from  the  great  poem,  "  Why  is  light  given  to  a  man  whose 
way  is  hid."  He  portrayed  the  conditions  of  life,  which  are  so 
full  of  inexplicable  problems.  He  told  a  most  beautiful  story  of 
his  own  experience,  when  he  was  a  boy  nine  years  of  age,  sixty-five 
years  before,  when  he  worked  alongside  of  a  poor  woman,  frail  in 
body  and  suffering  from  disease,  working  thirteen  hours  a  day  to 
support  herself  and  child,  and  praising  GTod  constantly  for  his  great 
beneficence  to  her.  This  woman,  he  said,  had  been  an  inspiration 
to  him  through  his  whole  life.  I  saw  him  next  morning  and 
thanked  him  for  his  beautiful  sermon.  I  told  him  that  I  had  dis- 
covered why  he  had  become  such  a  great  preacher. 

"  Tell  me  what  you  have  to  say,"  he  replied. 
12 


168  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

"  You  worked  in  a  mill  when  you  were  young," 

"What  has  that  to  do  with  it?"  he  said. 

'  This,"  I  said.  "  You  spun  your  yarn  before  you  became  a 
preacher;  others  spin  their  yarns  after  they  have  become  preach- 
ers."   He  enjoyed  the  joke.     ,     .     . 

.  .  .  This  has  been  a  gala  day.  We  landed  at  Gibraltar, 
drove  through  the  town,  and  were  permitted  to  inspect  the  greater 
part  of  the  fortifications.  Gibraltar,  even  from  a  distance,  has  an 
inspiring  effect.  A  mountain  of  stone  projects  from  the  sea.  .  .  . 
After  what  nature  has  done,  one  wonders  no  less  at  what  man  has 
accomplished.  The  winding  galleries  through  this  massive  rock 
are  a  wonderful  piece  of  engineering.  It  was  an  odd  scene  that  we 
beheld  in  the  streets.  Donkeys,  carrying  immense  loads  up  hills 
that  are  too  steep  for  loaded  carts  to  be  drawn  up,  carry  large  re- 
torts of  water,  milk,  and  so  on.  We  saw  Moors  in  their  native  cos- 
tumes strolling  through  the  streets.  There  are  many  shops,  show- 
ing gaudy  articles  for  sale.  Moorish  honey  is  offered  for  sale  on 
all  sides  as  a  specially  attractive  thing.  We  passed  a  market  place 
which  the  driver  told  us  was  the  "  Jew  Market."  I  learned,  on 
inquiry,  that  there  are  seven  thousand  Jews  in  Gibraltar,  with  two 
synagogues.  There  is  a  public  garden  here,  with  a  profusion  of  the 
most  beautiful  flowers  and  tropical  plants.  The  drivers  say  in  very 
bad  English  that  they  are  Englishmen,  and  seem  proud  of  the  con- 
ditions that  obtain  here.    Are  they  sincere? 

Last  Sunday  the  captain  signaled  as  we  were  passing  the  coast 
of  Portugal,  and  there  came  the  answer,  "  No  war."  Gibraltar  told 
us    a   different,    though    very    meager   story.     .     .     .     We    know 

.  .  .  that  war  has  been  declared.  .  .  .  There  is  consider- 
able enthusiasm  on  board.  Last  evening,  during  dinner,  the  band 
struck  up  the  "  Star-spangled  Banner."  The  Eeverend  Dr.  Collyer 
rose,  clapped  his  hands,  and  began  to  sing,  and  simultaneously  there 
was  a  general  uprising  and  a  united  chorus. 


Oriental  Trip.  169 

Three  priests  sit  opposite  me  at  the  table.  The  first  is  an 
Austrian  German,  fat,  full  of  fun,  knows  all  about  beef  steaks, 
good  wine,  where  the  best  restaurants  are  to  be  found  in  New  York, 
never  misses  a  meal,  and  never  makes  the  mistake  of  entering  into 
a  serious  conversation.  His  ignorance  on  general  matters  is  ap- 
palling. .  .  .  His  next-door  neighbor  is  an  Italian  Austrian, 
who  has  been  in  America  since  1864.  He  is  jolly,  has  an  enormous 
appetite,  does  not  hesitate  to  proclaim  himself  an  authority  as  to 
what  things  are  the  best  (that  is,  to  eat),  does  not  talk  on  serious 
matters,  although  this  is  not  because  he  is  stupid,  as  is  his  neighbor. 
He  is  like  many  other  priests  on  board,  who  are  dumb  as  oysters, 
except  when  they  speak  of  oysters  and  the  weather.  The  third  looks 
.  .  .  very  knowing,  .  .  .  never  says  anything,  seems  not  to 
hear  anything,  except  when  some  one  does  say  something  sensible, — 
which  rarely  happens, — when  he  gives  a  very  significant  nod  of 
approval.  He  has,  like  the  rest  of  them,  an  immense  capacity  for 
storing  away  .  .  .  meats  of  all  kinds,  vegetables  cooked  and 
raw,  and  wine  as  if  it  were  water,  no,  I  mean  as  if  it  were  wine, 
good  wine.     .     .     . 

I  have  enlarged  my  menu.  I  get,  besides  fruit,  as  on  the  last  voy- 
age, baked  potatoes,  baked  apples,  and  a  cup  of  coffee.  It  is  a  feast 
for  a  king;  that  is,  when  a  king  is  at  sea  and  is  of  the  Davidian 
dynasty.     .     .     . 

Naples,  April  28,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

We  have  just  come  to  the  hotel  from  the  day's  work,  and  we  are 
both  seated  to  continue  the  report  of  our  doings  up  to  this  time. 
.  .  .  It  was  a  scene  which  I  shall  long  remember,  the  scene 
which  the  early  morning  brought.  .  .  .  Such  a  noise  as  sound- 
ed'in  our  ears  from  all  sides  I  have  never  heard.  .  .  .  When 
I  got  on  deck  I  found  innumerable    .     .     .    boats  surrounding  the 


170  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

steamer.  There  were  a  great  many  barges  with  coal  which  hun- 
dreds of  men  and  boys  were  filling  baskets  with  and  dumping  into 
the  ship.  They  made  an  immense,  and  certainly  a  useless  amount 
of  noise  in  doing  it.  Boats  came  with  families  of  mothers,  sons, 
and  daughters,  playing  various  instruments  and  singing,  and  hold- 
ing their  hats  to  catch  the  money  that  was  dropped  for  them  from 
our  ship.  Sisters  of  Charity  came  in  their  boat,  and  seemed  per- 
fectly familiar  with  the  saying,  "  The  early  bird  catches  the  worm." 
Boats  were  there,  to  complete  .  .  .  this  curious  flotilla,  bring- 
ing men  and  women  who  had  things  for  sale.  Then  there  were 
boats  with  solicitors  for  hotels.  .  .  .  Cook's  men  came  among 
the  earliest  in  their  pretty  little  boat.  When  the  tender  took  us 
off  the  ship  to  land  us  at  Naples,  a  lot  of  satellites  fastened  them- 
selves upon  it,  giving  a  sort  of  concert  and  then  passing  the  hat 
around  among  us.  But  this  confusion  had  a  fairly  speedy  end, 
and  ...  in  due  time  we  were  confronted  by  the  custom 
house.  The  officials  gave  us  no  trouble  whatever.  They  took  our 
word  that  we  had  no  cigars,  and  marked  our  baggage  as  passed  with- 
out opening  any  of  it.  The  most  trouble  we  had  was  from  a  great 
number  of  men  who  were  anxious  to  be  of  use  to  us,  but  we  finally 
extricated  ourselves  and  got  a  cab.  One  fellow  squatted  on  the 
floor  of  the  cab,  with  his  feet  dangling  outside.  We  had  to  be  a 
trifle  discourteous  to  limit  and  finally  to  get  rid  of  this  undesirable 
sociability.  We  soon  started  for  Cook's  office,  where  we  met  a  num- 
ber of  our  co-voyageurs.    .     .     . 

We  took  a  trip  under  their  guidance  to  Vesuvius.  It  was  a  glori- 
ous trip,  but  quite  different  from  what  we  had  imagined  it  would 
be.  We  had  heard  so  much  of  Cook's  Eailroad  to  the  summit  of 
this  great  volcano  that  we  thought  after  a  very  short  drive  we  should 
be  placed  upon  the  train  and  we  should  be  up  in  a  jiffy.  It  was 
at  least  an  hour's  drive  to  the  ascent,  and  it  was  a  drive  of  fully 
two  hours  more  up  the  mountain  before  we  reached  the  station. 


Oriental  Trip.  171 

Here  we  were  hauled  in  good  shape  with  five  or  six  others  up  a  very 
steep  incline.  Amon,g  the  company  there  was  a  very  droll  .  .  . 
Englishman  with  whom  I  had  a  good  deal  of  fun.  He  was  amusing 
the  rest  with  an  account  of  how  a  cable  on  a  similar  car  had  broken 
and  how  the  car  had  shot  down,  and  how  easily  it  could  happen  to 
us.  He  seemed  somewhat  disappointed  that  no  one  was  frightened. 
When  we  had  gone  as  far  as  this  hoisting  machine  could  bring  us, 
we  had  to  go  further  on  foot.  Here  we  were  again  met  by  a  band 
of  men  with  willing  hearts  and  helping  hands,  and  they  became 
very  angry  when  we  declined  to  avail  ourselves  of  their  services. 
.  .  .  I  did  not  find  the  ascent  very  difficult,  and  did  not  puff 
at  all  when  I  reached  the  crater.  It  was  a  glorious  sight  to  behold 
when  we  arrived.  .  -  The  crater  is  six  hundred  meters  in  cir- 
cumference. It  is  lined  with  a  most  beautiful  and  varied  coloring 
from  the  deposits  of  sulphur  in  varied  chemical  states.  There  is  a 
sound  constantly  given  forth  attesting  the  fact  that  here  the  pot  is 
kept  boiling  all  the  time.  The  steam  and  smoke  that  issue  from 
the  bottom  were  wafted  downwards  by  the  wind,  and  the  effect  was 
not  unlike  that  of  a  great  cataract. 

Cairo,  May  10,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  The  voyage  over  the  Mediterranean  Sea  from  Naples  to 
Port  Said  was  a  most  delightful  one.  .  .  .  When  we  arrived  at 
Port  Said  about  nine  o'clock  last  Sunday,  we  had  our  first  introduc- 
tion to  Oriental  scenes.  .  .  .  We  took  a  stroll  through  the 
town,  which  is  a  comparatively  new  thing,  conjured  into  existence 
by  the  Suez  Canal.  .  .  .  Most  of  the  Arabs  we  saw  here  were 
quite  dark,  and  at  home,  if  they  wore  Western  costume,  we  should 
have  very  little  hesitation  in  calling  them  negroes.  .  .  .  Is- 
mailia  was  reached  in  due  time  at  six  o'clock,  and  at  seven  o'clock 
[we  took]  the  train  for  Cairo.     The  train  kept  close  to  the  canal 


172  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

from  Port  Said  to  Ismailia,  and  for  a  good  way  after  we  passed 
Ismailia,  how  much  further  I  do  not  know,  as  darkness  came  on, 
and  we  had  to  content  ourselves  with  looking  at  each  other.  As 
long  as  we  could  see,  there  was  nothing  but  a  vast  desert  that  passed 
before  us,  sand,  sand,  and  nothing  but  sand.  Before  we  reached 
Cairo,  however,  we  saw  enough  to  show  us  that  we  were  passing 
through  cultivated  and,  as  we  have  since  learned,  very  fertile  fields. 
We  reached  Cairo  at  10.30  P.  M.,  .  .  .  and  we  were  soon  com- 
fortably quartered  at  the  Hotel  Khedivial,  a  very  fine  hostelry. 

On  Monday  morning  we  took  a  guide,  who  showed  us  the  Citadel 
and  the  mosque  of  Mohammed  Ali.  "We  reached  the  Citadel,  passed 
through  the  gate,  and  had  the  magnificent  mosque  before  us.  Up, 
up  we  went,  turning  and  turning  until  we  were  a  long  way  up. 
.  .  .  The  mosque  is  a  most  imposing  edifice,  and  is  constructed 
throughout  of  fine  Egyptian  alabaster.  It  is  an  immense  building, 
and,  although  adorned  with  an  immense  dome,  as  well  as  several 
smaller  ones,  there  is  not  a  single  pillar  in  the  interior,  showing 
that  it  is  a  fine  piece  of  architectural  engineering.  There  were  a 
number  of  white-bearded  Mussulmans  squatting  on  the  floor,  re- 
citing the  Koran  aloud  and,  as  we  were  told,  by  heart,  with  a  Nig- 
gun  [melody]  in  which  I  could  readily  have  joined,  ...  al- 
most identical  with  some  of  our  chants  on  holidays.  In  close  prox- 
imity to  the  Mosque  there  is  Joseph's  well;  we  were  led  down  to  it. 
.  .  .  No  water  appears  at  the  bottom.  We  were  told,  however, 
that  there  was  a  turn  from  which  the  well  went  down  much  deeper, 
where  there  was  a  great  deal  of  water.  I  did  not  know  why  it  was 
called  Joseph's  well.  I  suggested  to  the  guide  that  it  was  the  well 
in  which  Joseph  was  thrown  by  his  brethren,  and  he  gave  his  wise 
approval.  But,  on  reflection,  I  remembered  that  Jacob  dwelt  at  that 
time  in  Canaan,  and  Joseph's  well  must  have  been  in  that  territory. 
I  found  later  on  that  the  well  received  its  name  from  another 
Joseph.     .     .     , 


Oriental  Trip.  173 

The  fields  are  very  rich.  The  wheat  ...  is  thrashed  by  a 
most  primitive  method.  It  is  strewn  over  the  field,  and  a  horse  at- 
tached to  something  very  much  in  the  shape  of  a  heavy  sled  is 
driven  over  it.  The  method  of  drawing  water  is  also  a  very  ancient 
one.  A  very  large  wheel  having  a  number  of  receptacles  in  the 
fihape  of  large  jugs  dips  down  into  the  water  and  is  made  to  revolve 
by  horses  going  round  and  round,  which  are  attached  to  it  by  a 
simple  mechanical  contrivance.  As  the  wheel  revolves,  the  Jugs 
bring  up  the  water  and  empty  it  where  it  is  wanted. 

This  mornin,g  we  took  a  trip  to  the  Pyramids,  starting  at  six 
o'clock.  It  was  a  fine  trip.  We  crossed  the  Nile,  seeing  it  for  a 
considerable  time  as  we  drove  along  its  banks.  On  the  day  before  a 
party  of  Englishmen  had  been  there  and  had  been  treated  shock- 
ingly by  the  Arabs.  Those  who  ascended  had  to  make  several  bar- 
gains. They  were  not  permitted  to  go  further  or  to  return  until 
they  .  .  .  met  the  exactions  of  the  Arabs,  and  they  were  thor- 
oughly fleeced.  Those  who  entered  to  see  the  tombs  amid  darkness, 
except  for  the  light  of  a  candle,  were  surrounded  by  the  villains, 
and  the  money  was  fairly  taken  away  from  them.  The  policeman 
seemed  to  be  unable  to  enforce  fair  play.  We  have  learned  that 
these  Arabs  allow  themselves  to  be  beaten  by  the  policeman,  and  af- 
terwards there  is  a  division  of  spoils.  ...  So  we  decided  to 
take  revenge.  We  drove  up  to  the  Pyramids,  walked  all  around 
them,  walked  up  to  the  Sphynx,  saw  her  from  all  sides,  also  the 
temple  of  the  Sphynx  and  a  tomb  in  the  vicinity,  excavated  by  some 
Englishman,  and  did  not  spend  a  piaster.  ...  It  was  very  hot, 
certainly  more  than  ninety  degrees,  and  we  were  fairly  at  the  mercy 
of  the  sun.     .     .     . 

S.  S.  Orinoque,  May  12,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  After  returning  from  the  Pyramids,  we  were  conducted 
by  our  guide  to  the  Museum.  This  contains  a  very  large     .     .     . 


174  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

collection  of  Egyptian  antiquities,  the  most  valuable  in  existence. 
I  could  not  begin  to  enumerate  all  the  remarkable  things  we  saw 
there.  But  one  thing  we  did  see  that  is  too  important  not  to  be 
mentioned.  That  proud  king,  who  ruled  over  Israel  with  such  an 
iron  hand  and  defied  Moses  when  he  brought  the  divine  message, 
has  not  escaped  the  archaeological  resurrectionist.  I  saw  him  face 
to  face,  all  his  glory  gone,  submitting  without  a  murmur  to  the 
scrutiny  of  all,  the  high  and  the  low, — of  the  latter  of  whom  there 
are  not  a  few  here.     .     .     . 

Jerusalem,  May  33,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  There  is  ...  a  very  good  school  in  this  colony 
[Pethach  Tikwah],  modeled  on  the  one  in  Jaffa,  with  one  slight 
difference.  In  the  Jaffa  school,  although  it  is  under  the  control  of 
the  Russian  Choveve  Zion,  the  Sephardic  pronunciation  [of  He- 
brew] has  been  adopted.  Here  the  Ashkenazic  pronunciation  has 
still  been  adhered  to,  but  from  the  general  tendency,  as  I  have 
noticed  it,  I  should  judge  that  the  Sephardic  pronunciation  will 
eventually  prevail  throughout  Palestine.  The  purpose  of  this  move- 
ment is  to  make  the  Jewish  population  in  Palestine  as  unified  as 
possible;  besides,  the  adoption  of  the  Sephardic  pronunciation  does 
away  with  the  variations  among  those  who  are  known  as  Ashke- 
nazim,  whose  differences  are  illustrated  by  the  wide  diversity  be- 
tween the  pronunciation  characteristic  of  South  Germany,  for 
example,  and  that  made  use  of  by  the  Jews  of  Poland. 

Jericho,  May  24,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  One  thing  of  great  importance  to  note  is  the  evident, 
contentment  of  the  colonists  [in  Palestine].  They  have  to  work 
hard,  and  as  yet  have  not  succeeded  by  far  in  accomplishing  what. 


Oriental  Trip.  175 

they  set  out  to  do,  but  they  love  Palestine,  they  love  their  work, 
they  are  full  of  pride  at  having  surmounted  .  .  .  great  diffi- 
culties, they  are  full  of  courage,  and  look  hopefully  forward  to  the 
future.  .  .  .  They  are  capable  of  the  hardest  physical  work; 
of  this  their  land  gives  incontrovertible  evidence.  They  mount  and 
ride  the  horse  with  agility  equal  to  that  of  the  native  Arab.  They 
are  not  wanting  in  physical  courage,  either.  When  the  colonies 
were  first  started,  the  Arabs  attempted  to  intimidate  the  newcom- 
ers, but  they  soon  learned  of  their  mistake.  Many  got  a  good  thrash- 
ing, and  they  profited  by  the  lesson.  One  [colonist]  who  was  on 
horseback,  was  attacked  by  an  Arab.  He  descended,  thrashed  him 
thoroughly,  bound  him  hand  and  foot,  and  brought  him  on  horse- 
back to  Haifa  for  trial.  Now  the  colonists  have  no  difficulties  of 
this  sort. 

Jaffa,  May  39,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  I  was  pleased  with  our  visit  to  Jerusalem,  notwithstand- 
ing the  predictions  that  we  should  be  dreadfully  disappointed.  It 
is  a  city  of  the  most  varied  interest.  The  past  is  presented  to  one 
at  every  turn,  and  the  present  is  not  less  interesting.  There  are 
as  fine  Jews  here  as  can  be  met  with  anywhere.  There  is  as  much 
disinterested  effort  to  benefit  the  lowly  as  at  any  other  place.  Those 
that  have  been  painted  in  the  blackest  colors  are  better  than  the 
circumstances  surrounding  them  would  warrant  [one  in  expecting] . 
And  such  a  medley  as  is  met  with  here !  Sephardic  Jews  are  not 
all  of  one  class;  there  are  the  Spanish-Portuguese,  the  Turkish, 
the  Italian,  the  Moroccan,  the  Yemenite,  the  Kurdish,  and  the 
Bokhariot  Jews.  The  German  Jewish  community  is  composed  of 
real  Germans,  of  Eussians  from  all  the  Eussias,  Polish,  Eoumanian, 
American,  and  other  unclassified  Jews.  There  are  those  who  live 
in  comparative  luxury;  many  starve  quite  a  little;  and  not  a  few 


176  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

live  pretty  well  on  nothing,  their  needs  being  so  primitive  and  so 
few.  ...  I  have  not  seen  anything  in  all  my  travels  to  inter- 
est me  as  much  as  my  trip  to  Jerusalem.     ... 

ZiCHRON  Jacob,  May  31,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  I  shall  never  forget  the  days  that  I  spent  [in  Jerusa- 
lem] ....  Our  first  trip  was  to  the  Wailing  Wall.  We  passed 
through  the  Jaffa  gate  ...  up  steep  inclines,  through  narrow 
streets,  crowded  with  Jews  of  all  kinds,  Arabs,  Bedouins,  Euro- 
peans, donkeys,  camels,  and  so  on.  Finally,  we  reached  the  place. 
Here  we  found  a  big  crowd,  largely  composed  of  women,  crowded 
up  to  the  walls,  kissing  the  stones,  and  weeping  as  if  the  destruction 
of  the  temple  had  happened  but  yesterday.  There  were  a  number 
of  old  men  there  also.  The  space  is,  I  should  judge,  about  thirty 
feet  wide  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long.  All  went  well  until 
I  began  to  distribute  the  money  I  had  brought  with  me  for  that 
purpose.  The  mob  crowded  around  us,  and  it  seemed  that  the  same 
hands  always  managed  to  get  to  the  foreground.  .  .  .  We  had 
almost  to  use  force  to  extricate  ourselves  from  the  crowd.  The 
conduct  of  the  crowd  was  annoying,  but  it  was  on  the  whole  very 
interesting.  The  scene  of  some  of  them  at  prayer  was  very  touch- 
ing. 

From  the  Wailing  Wall  we  were  conducted  to  the  two  great 
synagogues,  the  one  of  the  Chasidim,  the  other  of  the  Ashkenazim. 
Both  are  very  imposing  structures,  and  would  produce  a  still  better 
effect  if  they  were  not  crowded  upon  by  the  very  narrow  streets. 
They  both  have  very  large  domes  and  in  this  respect  ,greatly  re- 
semble the  mosques. 

We  next  visited  the  Bikkur  Cholim  Hospital.  .  .  .  Here  I 
saw  Eabbi  Salant,  who  had  an  operation  for  cataract  performed 
upon  him.    He  was  sitting  up ;  his  bandage  had  been  removed,  and 


Oriental  Trip.  177 

he  said  that  he  could  see.  He  received  me  very  kindly.  He  is  a 
Eabbi  of  the  old  type.  He  has  a  very  kindly  bearing,  and  everyone 
shows  him  great  respect. 

Our  next  stopping  place  was  the  Talmud  Torah.  .  .  .  The 
rooms  are  all  crowded  with  children,  from  the  youngest  up  to  those 
sixteen  or  seventeen  years  of  age,  besides  the  Yeshihah,  composed 
of  young  married  men.  Such  a  Babel  you  cannot  imagine.  They 
have  their  books  before  them,  and  all  shout  away  in  tones  indicating 
the  especial  intention  of  being  impressive,  with  occasional  inter- 
ruptions by  the  teacher.  It  is  rather  an  odd  scene  to  behold  before 
you,  boys  of  nine  and  ten  years  with  a  big  folio  of  the  Talmud  be- 
fore them,  giving  their  views  on  the  subject-matter.  The  teachers, 
as  well  as  the  scholars,  have  a  sort  of  starved  look  about  them. 
While  one  must  wonder  how  so  much  can  be  forced  into  the  heads 
of  these  boys,  one  must  regret  the  absolute  absence  of  method. 
.  .  .  The  Sephardim  have  a  school  of  pretty  much  the  same 
sort,  I  was  told,  but  I  did  not  find  time  to  visit  it.     .     .     . 

In  the  afternoon  we  visited  the  tombs  of  the  Kings,  a  most  re- 
markable place.  The  tombs  are  composed  of  large  caves  leading 
one  into  the  other,  some  very  extensive,  situated  only  a  short  dis- 
tance outside  of  the  walls  of  Jerusalem.  Some  of  these  caves  are 
for  one  and  some  for  two  tombs.  At  the  entrances  of  the  various 
caves  there  are  little  niches  in  the  walls  for  placing  lamps,  and 
above  and  below,  at  the  side  of  each  entrance,  there  are  depressions 
in  which  the  stone  doors  swung. 

We  next  visited  the  Lamel  school,  which  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  Eph- 
raim  Cohen.  Mr.  Cohen  is  an  able  scholar,  and  a  very  fine  fellow. 
A  native  of  Jerusalem,  after  getting  a  thorough  Hebrew  training 
here,  he  spent  some  years  ...  in  London  (Jews'  College), 
and  in  Germany.  He  knows  many  languages  well,  and  knows  how 
to  conduct  a  school.  This  school  was  founded  by  the  daughters  of 
Edler  von  Lamel,  who  lived  in  Vienna.     There  was  not  enough 


178  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

money  left,  however,  for  the  full  and  continued  support  of  the  in- 
stitution, and  therefore  a  committee  was  formed  in  Frankfort  on 
the  Main,  which  looks  after  it,  and  also  supports  an  orphan  asy- 
lum, .  .  .  The  school  is  in  a  very  modern  building  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city,  and  Hebrew,  English,  German,  and  French  are 
taught  by  a  corps  of  efficient  teachers,  after  the  most  approved,  mod- 
ern methods.  This  school  is  under  a  Cherem  [ban].  That  is  to 
say,  it  was  put  under  the  Cherem  by  the  dominant  Eabbis  when 
it  was  begun,  and  the  present  ones  say  they  are  forced  to  respect 
that  action.  They  don't  object  now,  so  they  say,  to  children  study- 
ing anything  but  Hebrew,  but  they  do  object  to  this  school,  which  is 
under  a  ban.  Very  few  Ashkenazic  children  are  to  be  found  in  the 
school  on  this  account;  the  children  are  predominantly  Sephardim. 
The  Sephardim,  as  it  appears,  are  much  more  liberal  than  the  Ash- 
kehazim.  The  Ashkenazic  Eabbis  have  immense  power.  When 
anyone  rebels  against  their  authority,  his  Chaluklcah  is  with- 
held. The  Sephardim  occupy  a  different  position.  The  ChalulckaJi 
is  not  so  big  an  affair  with  them ;  that  is  to  say,  the  sum  of  money 
sent  to  Jerusalem  is  comparatively  insignificant  beside  the  amount 
received  by  the  Ashkenazim,  and  it  is  said  that  the  rank  and  file  are 
very  little  concerned  about  it,  as  the  Eabbis  get  nearly  all  of  it. 
There  is,  therefore,  much  more  poverty  among  the  Sephardim; 
.  .  .  but  their  needs  are  not  so  great  as  those  of  the  Ashkenazim, 
as  they  have  adopted  the  very  simple  mode  of  life  of  the  Arabs. 
They  have  lost  their  pride  and  are  extremely  humble. 

On  Friday,  May  20,  our  first  visit  was  to  the  Keneseth,  the 
part  of  the  suburbs  upon  which  houses  for  the  poor  have  been  built 
by  various  bequests.  We  were  shown  two  one-story  stone  houses 
having  one  large  room  and  a  kitchen  adjacent  as  those  erected  with 
Grandfather's  legacy.  Tablets  are  placed  in  the  rooms  of  each 
house,  stating  the  name  and  date  of  death  of  the  donor.    The  fami- 


Oriental  Trip.  179 

lies  seem  very  happy  because  of  the  privilege  granted  them.    I  have 
copies  of  these  tablets  and  also  photographs  of  the  homes. 

We  drove  next  to  the  base  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  a  most  beautiful 
mountain,  separated  from  Jerusalem  by  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat. 
A  large  part  of  the  base  of  the  mountain  is  the  Jewish  place  of 
burial.  The  graves  are  of  very  early  date,  and  the  place  is  still  used 
as  a  cemetery.  We  rode  up  on  donkeys ;  it  was  our  first  experience 
on  them.  The  ride  was  not  difficult  and  the  trip  was  very  inter- 
esting ;  from  the  summit  one  obtains  a  very  good  view  of  the  city  of 
Jerusalem.  The  Eussians  have  secured  possession  of  the  summit 
and  have  built  a  church  there.  Next  to  it  is  a  very  high  tower  which 
I  ascended.  There  are  many  olive  trees  all  the  way  up  the  moun- 
tain and  all  along  the  route  leading  to  it. 

Damascus,  June  4,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

I  left  off  in  my  last  letter  with  our  return  from  the  Mount  of 
Olives.  From  the  summit  of  this  mountain  and  especially  from 
the  top  of  the  tower  (which  is  reached  by  over  two  hundred  steps), 
I  had  a  very  good  view  of  Jerusalem  and  its  surroundings.  It  is 
an  imposing  scene.  There  the  city  stands  on  Moriah  and  Zion, 
surrounded  by  its  beautiful  wall,  encircled  by  beautiful  valleys  on 
all  sides.  No  other  city  makes  such  an  impression  upon  one.  All 
nations  turn  to  her  as  having  an  especial  interest.  What  a  history, 
that  of  which  she  has  been  the  inspiration  and  the  witness !  How 
much  blood  has  been  spilt  in  her  defence,  how  many  tears  have 
been  shed  and  are  now  being  shed  at  her  ultimate  humilia- 
tion!    .     .     . 

On  inquiry,  I  found  that  the  large  synagogues  in  Jerusalem  are 
not  well  attended  on  account  of  the  many  small  synagogues  and, 
besides,  because  the  services  offer  no  especial  attraction.  There  are 
no  good  Chazzanim  here.    There  is  a  small  synagogue  attached  to 


180  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  hotel,  and  I  found  this  very  convenient,  inasmuch  as  the  serv- 
ices begin  at  6.30  A.  M.  Mr.  Kaminitz,  the  proprietor  of  the  hotel, 
read  the  prayers  very  acceptably.     ... 

There  is  one  gentleman  at  the  hotel  whom  I  must  not  forget  to 
mention,  a  Mr.  Dunn,  an  Englishman,  and  a  fine  man  through  and 
through.  He  is  a  Christian,  and  is  in  the  service  of  Mrs.  Finn,  an 
Englishwoman,  the  widow  of  a  former  consul  at  Jerusalem,  who 
for  fifty  years  has  given  a  number  of  poor  Jews  employment  by 
the  expenditure  of  a  very  large  fortune.  At  one  time  she  nearly 
impoverished  herself  in  this  benevolent  work.  It  has  been  alleged 
that  she  is  inspired  by  missionary  purposes,  but  no  one  can  state  any- 
thing definite  as  to  that,  and  those  connected  with  the  work  have 
always  denied  this.     .     .     . 

In  the  afternoon  I  went,  in  company  with  Mr.  Cohen,  to  hear  a 
Mr.  Yellin  deliver  a  lecture  in  Hebrew  on  Hebrew  poetry.  He  had 
a  very  large  and  very  appreciative  audience.  Mr.  Yellin  is  a  Jeru- 
salemite,  who  received  all  his  education  here,  and  is  a  great  scholar 
in  Hebrew,  Arabic,  and  other  subjects,  being  so  considered  by  Dr. 
Schechter.    He  is  one  of  the  teachers  in  Mr.  Cohen's  school. 

There  are  here  quite  a  respectable  number  of  intellectual  Jews  in 
the  modem  sense  of  that  term.  The  library  is  a  fine  building  with 
fourteen  thousand  volumes,  and  is  much  needed  here.     .     .     . 

Sunday,  May  22,  .  .  .  was  the  day  assigned  for  Hebron. 
We  started  early  in  the  morning  and  reached  this  ancient  city  after 
a  very  dusty  ride  of  five  hours.  There  were  many  .  .  .  trees  in 
the  country  through  which  we  passed  and  many  vineyards,  with  the 
largest  bunches  of  grapes  I  have  ever  seen.  The  city  is  very  old  and 
looks  it.  The  streets  are  very  narrow  and  these  narrow  streets  lead 
one  into  the  other  through  what  are  called  streets  here,  though  they 
are  no  more  than  three-foot  alleys.  Some  of  the  streets  are  cov- 
ered, with  a  small  place  left  open  here  and  there  for  illumination. 
Here  the  shops  are  to  be  found;  they  are  very  small  rooms,  not 


Oriental  Trip.  181 

larger  than  six  by  eight  feet  in  size ;  .  .  .  many  are  devoted  to 
trades,  being  the  workshop  and  the  salesroom  at  the  same  time.  It 
is  a  motley  scene.  .  .  .  Through  these  small  streets  there  is 
a  constant  stream  of  pedestrians,  donkeys,  and  camels,  some  heavily 
laden,  some  free  from  burdens.  It  is  rather  curious  how  these 
people  here  have  utilized  the  .  .  .  camel  to  carry  loads  from 
place  to  place.  No  one  would  know  how  to  go  about  it  with  us. 
They  can  put  almost  as  much,  if  not  as  much  furniture  on  a  camel's 
back  as  we  can  put  in  an  ordinary  furniture  wagon.  You  would 
be  astonished  to  see  such  an  animal  conveying  a  large  number  of 
building-stones  from  place  to  place.  They  seem  not  to  know  the 
need  of  wagons;  and,  indeed,  some  of  the  roads  through  which 
these  animals  pass  are  impassable  for  wagons,  and,  as  for  the  small 
streets  here  and  in  Jerusalem,  a  wagon  could  not  enter  them.  The 
object  for  which  Hebron  is  especially  interesting  to  sight-seers  is 
the  graves  of  the  Patriarchs.  They  are  contained  in  the  mosque 
which  has  been  built  over  the  site,  but  they  are  strictly  guarded 
from  the  approach  of  either  Jew  or  Christian.  There  is  a  large 
stone  stair  leading  up  to  the  mosque,  but  none  but  Mohammedans 
are  permitted  to  ascend  higher  than  the  seventh  step.  .  .  . 
Here,  in  the  side  of  the  wall,  is  a  square  hole,  about  eight  inches 
square,  through  which  ordinary  mortals  are  permitted  to  look  and 
see  nothing.  On  ascending  an  incline  leading  to  another  side  of 
the  mosque  one  can  look  down  and  see  separate  structures  which 
are  said  to  be  the  several  burial  places.  They  are  small  buildings 
with  domes.     .     .     . 

This  is  a  place  presenting  the  intensest  forms  of  both  intellectual 
and  material  poverty.  The  offers  of  the  Allmnce  Israelite  have  been 
persistently  refused.  The  people  here  look  upon  all  modern  meth- 
ods as  dangerous  innovations.  The  representative  paid  me  a  visit, 
and  I  gave  no  advice,  for  I  found  that  nothing  is  taken  but  cash. 
Of  course,  I  gave  a  donation.     The  Hospital,  quite  a  good  build- 


183  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

ing,  already  finished  six  years  ago,  stands  empty.  It  is  much  needed 
here,  both  for  the  people  of  the  city  and  for  the  benefit  of  poor  in- 
valids who  come  here  from  Jerusalem  and  other  places,  for  this  is 
considered  a  most  salubrious  climate.  There  is  much  diplomacy 
in  vogue  here.  You  can  get  no  definite  information  as  to  why  the 
hospital  has  not  been  opened.  The  Doctor  intimates  plainly  that 
there  is  something  wrong,  but,  when  he  is  asked  about  it,  his  tongue 
and  larynx  seem  suddenly  to  become  paralyzed,  and  this  is  accom- 
panied by  a  reflex,  convulsive  movement  which  draws  both  shoul- 
ders up.  When  I  found  that  they  could  not  say  why  not,  knowing 
that  money  had  been  collected  during  these  six  years,  I  suggested 
as  an  explanation  that  the  money  intended  for  the  sick  had  been 
appropriated  by  the  well.  They  pretended  to  be  greatly  shocked, 
but  the  recovery  was  too  rapid  for  the  shock  to  have  been  real.  I 
told  them  that,  when  I  came  back,  I  should  have  to  say  that  the 
hospital  in  Hebron  for  which  agents  have  been  collecting  money  is 
a  simple  pretence.  We  were  shown  a  place  which,  it  is  stated,  is 
the  grave  of  the  prophet  Jonah.  We  could  not  stay  long  in  Hebron, 
.  .  .  and,  after  seeing  all  that  was  of  interest,  we  started  to  re- 
turn to  Jerusalem. 

Among  other  things  on  the  road,  we  were  shown  the  Grotto  of 
Zechariah,  to  which  the  prophet  is  said  often  to  have  retired.  When 
he  returned  to  the  people,  he  preached  his  inspiring  sermons.  If 
only  some  of  the  modern  Eabbis  would  have  such  grottos  to  prepare 
their  sermons  in,  and  would  remain  in  them,  if  they  did  no  better 
than  they  generally  do !  I  would  volunteer  as  one  of  the  ravens  to 
bring  them  sustenance. 

The  next  object  of  interest  that  we  came  up  to  was  the  pools  of 
Solomon,  three  in  number.  They  are  large,  square  reservoirs  of 
pure  water.  They  formerly  furnished  a  liberal  water  supply  to 
Jerusalem,  carried  through  earthen  pipes  which  are  still  to  be  seen. 
In  addition  to  these  pipes  there  are  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  aqua- 


Oriental  Trip.  183 

duct.  All  this  could  be  restored  for  a  relatively  small  sum  of  money, 
and  yet  Jerusalem  is  left  suffering  for  water.     .     .     . 

Nearer  to  Jerusalem  we  came  up  to  the  tomb  of  Eachel.  There 
is  an  appropriate  building  erected  over  the  grave,  and  it  is  one  of 
the  few  monuments  in  the  possession  of  the  Jews.  We  waited  some 
time  for  the  shammash  [beadle],  and  in  the  meantime  I  said 
the  Minchah  [afternoon]  prayer.     .     .     . 

We  started  out  on  the  morning  of  May  23  to  inspect  the  Alliance 
schools.  They  are  entirely  satisfactory,  both  as  to  the  buildings 
occupied  and  as  to  the  instruction  given.  Here  again  we  notice 
the  influence  of  the  bans.  The  Ashkenazim  furnish  but  a  very 
meager  contingent  of  scholars.  We  saw  the  male  and  female  de- 
partments. .  .  .  There  is  quite  a  medley  of  nationalities  in 
these  schools,  Sephardim,  a  few  Ashkenazim  from  Jerusalem,  chil- 
dren from  various  towns  in  Palestine,  from  Aleppo,  from  Persia, 
from  Bokhara,  and  a  few  Yemenites.  In  the  girls'  schools  there 
are  quite  a  number  of  Ashkenazic  scholars.  The  Jerusalem  com- 
munity makes  no  provision  for  the  education  of  girls,  evidently  on 
the  ground  that  they  need  no  education,  and  also  because  the  influ- 
ence of  the  modern  methods  of  education  would  be  less  harmful  to 
the  girls  than  to  the  boys.     .     .     . 

We  next  visited  the  MosJiab  Zekenim,  the  "  Old  Men's  Home." 
There  is  no  "  Old  Women's  Home." '  There  are  plenty  of  old 
women,  nevertheless,  but  women  seem  not  to  have  the  same  claim 
upon  either  education  or  charity  that  men  have.  There  are  about 
fifty  inmates,  all  old  men,  who  seem  contented  and  pass  away  their 
time  bending  over  the  Talmud  and  saying  prayers.  It  is  a  good 
institution,  and  needs  and  ought  to  receive  adequate  support.  .  .  . 

In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Cohen  took  me  to  see  the  Ghacham  Baslii, 
the  Chief  Eabbi,  a  most  venerable  man,  very  dignified  in  his  bear- 
ing; and  at  the  same  time  kind  and  courteous.    He  had  coffee  served 

'  At  present  there  is  an  "  Old  Women's  Home." 
13 


184  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

by  his  liveried  attendants.  He  asked  me  for  nothing,  and  promised 
to  call  upon  me  at  the  hotel.  I  stayed  till  it  was  announced  that 
it  was  time  for  Minchah,  .  .  .  and  I  accompanied  the  Rabbi 
to  the  synagogue  in  his  house.     .     .     . 

We  next  went  to  the  quarries  of  Solomon,  which  are  entered 
through  a  comparatively  small  opening  in  the  rock.  On,  on  we 
went,  each  holding  a  lighted  candle,  from  chamber  to  chamber, 
until  we  were  tired  out.  One  must  be  very  careful  not  to  lose  his 
way,  and  for  this  reason  from  time  to  time  a  candle  is  placed  some- 
where on  the  rock.  ...  From  here  the  stone  was  procured 
for  building  Solomon's  Temple. 

Returning  from  the  quarries  we  went  to  Jeremiah's  Grotto,  which 
is  entered  through  an  opening  in  the  rock,  nearly  opposite  to  the 
quarries.  It  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Moslems.  It  is  quite  a  large 
chamber  which,  at  a  push,  in  this  climate,  would  provide  a  com- 
fortable home  for  anybody. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  May  24,  that  is,  at  five  o'clock,  we  were 
off  for  Jericho,  a  five  hours'  drive.  It  was  very  hot  when  we  got  on 
the  road.  We  passed  through  a  picturesque,  though  barren  country, 
with  mountains  all  the  way.  We  were  accompanied  by  an  armed 
Bedouin  on  horseback,  besides  our  guide.  This  is  considered  neces- 
sary for  safety  here.  We  arrived  at  about  eleven  A.  M.  at  the  Jor- 
dan Hotel  in  Jericho,  .  .  .  and  had  lunch  served  in  the  open 
air,  for  it  was  intensely  hot.  After  resting  several  hours,  we  drove 
to  the  Dead  Sea,  a  drive  of  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  It  was  hotter. 
It  was  a  grand  scene,  however,  and  we  were  not  inclined  to  leave  it 
so  soon.  I  took  a  bath  in  the  sea.  It  was  a  curious  sensation.  I 
could  not  sink  deep  enough  to  swim  comfortably.  The  saltness  is 
so  intense  that  my  face  smarted  for  a  considerable  time  after  I  got 
out.  We  returned  to  Jericho  and  put  up  for  the  night,  but  such  a 
night!  It  was  too  hot  to  cover  up  and  there  were  mosquitoes  by 
the  millions.  The  "  hot  time  in  old  town  "  would  give  a  man  a 
chill  alongside  of  this  experience.    I  bear  the  marks  of  the  fight  still. 


Oriental  Trip.  185 

We  started  for  Jerusalem  on  Wednesday  morning  at  five  o'clock, 
and  reached  Jerusalem  safe,  under  the  circumstances.  On  the  way 
to  Jericho  we  were  shown  Elijah's  Grotto,  and  also  a  number  of 
caves,  now  inhabited  by  a  company  of  hermits  who  never  leave  their 
haimts,  but  have  their  food  brought  to  them.  This  is  the  land  of 
fanatics,  and  every  religion  furnishes  its  quota.  They  have  a  pe- 
culiar way  of  measuring  one's  love  for  his  religion,  and  that  is  by 
the  degree  of  hatred  with  which  the  respective  individual  hates 
everybody  who  does  not  hate  in  partnership  with  him. 

On  Friday  ...  we  went  to  the  Tomb  of  David,  which  is 
within  the  walls  of  the  city,  and  in  the  hands  of  the  Mohammedans. 
The  structure  erected  is  quite  appropriate.  I  saw  an  old  lady  recit- 
ing a  portion  of  the  Psalms.  What  could  be  a  more  fitting  tribute 
to  that  great  man!     .     .     . 

On  Saturday  .  .  .  there  came  a  party  of  Egyptian  Sephar- 
dim,  who  come  every  year,  as  we  were  told,  to  be  "  Oleh  la-Eegel," 
that  is,  to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  in  imitation  of  the  three 
pilgrimages  annually  of  olden  times.  By  the  by,  this  is  a  custom 
which  is  largely  followed  by  the  colonists,  and  from  all  indications 
it  will  .  .  .  assume  considerable  proportions  before  many 
years.  These  Egyptians,  like  ourselves,  are  embraced  in  the  cate- 
gory of  Jews  ""  chuz  la-arez,"  that  is,  those  whose  homes  are  outside 
of  the  Holy  Land.  Therefore  their  service  was  that  of  the  second 
day  of  Yom-tob.  They  had  their  own  Chazzan  and  their  own 
8efer  Torah,  which  is  incased  in  wood,  and  stands  upright  when  it 
is  being  read. 

After  service  I  took  a  long  walk  .  .  .  and  visited  the  homes 
of  a  settlement  of  Yemenites  in  one  part  of  the  city.  .  .  . 
These  poor  people  came  from  Yemen,  or  Teman,  as  it  is  also  called, 
t5  escape  the  terrible  persecutions  they  were  subjected  to  thirteen 
years  ago    .     .     .     They  were  not  permitted  to  land  at  Jaffa. 


186  Aaeon  Priedenwald,  M.  D. 

They  were  sent  from  place  to  place,  suffering  from  hunger,  and, 
what  was  worse,  they  had  to  meet  the  animosity  of  the  Jerusalem- 
ites,  who  used  all  their  influence  to  keep  them  out  of  the  Holy  Land. 
They  finally  reached  Jerusalem,  settled  upon  the  vacant  places,  and 
begged  when  they  could  not  get  any  work.  They  are  still  very  poor, 
but  they  have  houses  to  live  in,  and,  as  their  mode  of  life  is  very 
simple,  they  need  very  little,  and  perhaps  get  on  better  than  other 
poor  people.  Some  have  saved  sufficient  money  out  of  their  meager 
earnings  to  buy  homes  for  themselves.  ...  A  very  rich  Yem- 
enite who  lives  in  Aden  built  them  a  building  of  great  size,  in 
which  a  large  number  of  families  find  shelter.  Another  group 
gathered  old  boxes,  tin,  and  other  stuff  and  erected  houses  of  a  sort, 
and  when  they  have  enough  to  eat  they  are  very  contented.  They 
have  built  up  a  kind  of  suburban  city,  and  paved  the  streets  them- 
selves with  cobblestones.  They  have  no  floors ;  the  bare  earth  serves 
them  very  well.  For  five  or  six  months  in  the  year  there  is  no  rain 
at  all,  and  so  they  can  manage.  I  saw  their  Sabbath  dinner;  it 
was  very  meager  indeed.  But  they  are  frugal,  and  their  deeply  re- 
ligious nature  makes  them  very  grateful  for  what  they  have.  They 
are  good  workers ;  there  is  no  work  too  hard  for  them.  I  have  seen 
them  at  work  cutting  stones,  carrying  on  their  back  heavy  stones  of 
a  weight  that  would  make  our  hod-carriers  at  home  stand  aghast. 
Some  of  them  find  employment  in  the  colonies,  and  their  work  is 
so  satisfactory  that  there  is  some  talk  of  establishing  a  new  colony 
for  them. 

What  is  especially  of  interest  concerning  them  is  that,  although 
separated  as  they  have  been  for  many  centuries  from  the  rest  of  the 
Jewish  people  they  have  fully  preserved  their  Jewish  character 
in  every  respect.  They  all  speak  Hebrew,  have  many  Talmudic 
scholars,  and  are  extremely  devout  in  their  religious  practices.  I 
saw  one  of  their  prayer-books,  and  it  differs  very  little  from  our 
own.    They  have  the  characteristic  Jewish  features;  they  are,  how- 


Oriental  Trip.  187 

ever,  somewhat  dark.  It  is  very  peculiar  and  ethnologically  of  great 
interest  that  they  all  wear  " peoth  "  [ear-locks].  On  Yom-toh  they 
had  their  entire  head  shaved,  but  the  "  peoth  "  were  not  touched. 
The  "  peoth/'  therefore,  seem  to  be  a  very  old  institution,  and  they 
are  now  by  no  means  to  be  regarded  as  introduced  by  the  Polish 
Jews. 

I  visited  a  number  of  their  houses.  They  have  no  furniture. 
(They  are  not  the  only  people  in  the  East  who  have  no  needs  of  this 
kind.)  The  floor  gives  them  a  resting  place  when  they  sit,  and  a 
simple  pallet  a  good  bed  at  night.  I  found  them  engaged  in  teach- 
ing Hebrew  to  a  number  of  little  children  whose  parents  were  Per- 
sian Jews,  of  whom  there  are  quite  a  number  here.  The  teacher  sat 
upon  the  floor,  and  the  little  children  sat  on  the  floor  likewise,  in  a 
semicircle.  Much  more  efiicient  instruction  was  imparted  here,  I 
feel  sure,  than  in  many  places  where  things  look  much  more  suitable 
for  the  purpose.  In  one  house  to  which  I  went  I  found  a  very  hand- 
some man  about  sixty-five  years  of  age  who  had  just  finished  his 
Sabbath  dinner,  which  was  contained  in  a  single  dish,  from  which 
the  whole  family  had  partaken.  He  offered  us  some  Kummel  and 
some  watermelon  seeds,  which  had  been  roasted  and  salted,  after 
the  fashion  prevailing  among  us  in  preparing  almonds.  This  set- 
tlement, from  the  way  it  was  constructed,  has  been  called  the  "  Box 
Colony." 

I  have  had  a  number  of  delegations  visiting  me.  Chief  Eabbi 
Salant,  of  the  Ashkenazim,  being  a  patient  in  the  hospital,  sent  me 
by  two  Shammashim,  a  few  days  ago,  a  large  decanter  of  wine 
and  a  very  large  cake,  with  his  compliments,  and  later  on  he  sent 
his  whole  committee,  of  which  his  son  is  a  member.  His  son  looks 
almost  as  old  as  he  does.  We  had  quite  a  talk  about  the  ChaluTckdh, 
in  which  they  listened  very  respectfully  to  my  suggestions.     .     .     . 

A  large  party  from  the  hotel  went  to  see  a  model  of  the  Temple 
made  by  one  Dr.  Schick.  He  came  to  Jerusalem  many  years  ago 
as  a  carpenter,  developed  into  an  architect  of  note,  and  finally  wrote 


188  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

a  book  on  the  construction  of  the  Temple,  which  won  for  him  the 
degree  of  Doctor  from  a  German  university.  To  do  the  work  he 
studied  Hebrew,  studied  the  Bible  and  Talmud  carefully  in  associa- 
tion with  scholars,  and  finally  constructed  the  model,  which  repre- 
sents both  the  first  and  second  Temples.  It  is  certainly  a  master- 
piece. He  has  also  a  model  of  the  Tabernacle.  Dr.  Schick  has  re- 
tired from  active  work,  but  his  son-in-law  thoroughly  explained  the 
model  to  us.  It  certainly  was  a  treat,  and  the  model  will  always 
remain  vividly  in  my  memory. 

Beyeout,  June  9,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  I  left  off  in  my  last  letter  with  bidding  adieu  to  Jeru- 
salem. I  felt  as  if  I  had  parted  with  a  dear  old  friend  whom  I 
should  never  see  again.  There  are  so  many  memories  clustering 
about  her  walls,  there  are  so  many  conditions  in  the  present 
that  call  for  the  deepest  study,  and  which  one  who  knows 
them  would  like  to  watch  the  development  of  from  time  to 
time.  There  is  a  certain  new  life  which  has  awakened  in  the 
old  city.  The  colonies  ,  .  .  have  already  had  an  influence  on 
thought  and  conditions,  and  the  aspiration  has  awakened,  at  least 
among  the  younger  generation,  to  enter  practical  life. 

We  left  Jerusalem  at  about  eight  o'clock  A.  M.  for  Jaffa.  .  .  . 
There  was  quite  a  gathering  at  the  depot  to  see  us  off.  Ephraim 
Cohen,  Mr.  Yellin,  L.  Griinhut  and  his  daughters,  and  the  two 
Bergmans,  with  their  four  " peoth"  were  all  there.  We  met  a  Mr. 
Varon,  an  official  at  Eishon  le-Zion,  who  is  an  intense  Zionist,  and 
with  whom  I  talked  about  the  colonies,  of  the  struggles  through 
which  they  had  gone,  of  what  had  been  learned  in  regard  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  land,  and  other  .  .  .  things,  so  that  the  journey 
was  not  a  monotonous  one.  ...  I  find  that  my  impressions 
about  the  Herzl  movement  have  been  correct.     .     .     .     The  colo- 


Oriental  Trip.  189 

nists,  and  all  those  outside  of  them  here  who  wish  for  their  pros- 
perity, see  no  good  in  Herzlism.  In  the  first  place,  they  look  upon 
it  as  a  great  parade  without  any  practical  results.  Moreover,  since 
the  Herzl  demonstration  the  Turkish  government  has  redoubled 
its  vigilance,  and  it  is  now  impossible  for  a  Eussian  Jew  to  enter 
Palestine.  It  is  regarded  as  an  idle  dream  to  build  up  a  Jewish 
state  in  the  artificial  manner  which  Herzlism  has  proposed  in  its 
program.  What  people  here  want,  and  hope  to  see  in  time,  perhaps 
a  very  long  time,  is  the  development  of  a  large  Jewish  community 
right  here,  of  natural  growth.  No  state  could  successfully  be  built 
up  with  a  large  number  of  Jews  coming  together  helter-skelter. 
Moses'  experience  with  his  people  in  the  wilderness  is  fraught  with 
great  practical  suggestions  for  the  future  of  the  Jews  in  Palestine. 
The  only  thing  that  is  really  good  about  Herzl's  Zionism  is  that 
it  has  brought  him  and  others  like  him  back  to  the  fold,  and  has 
given  a  decided  setback  to  those  who  were  fond  of  dreaming  of  as- 
similation.    .     .     . 

The  Arabs  are  good  workmen.  They  shape  stone  into  all  forms, 
polish  marble,  and  lay  stone  floors  very  beautifully.  There  is  much 
use  made  here  in  the  East  of  a  very  smooth  red  tile  to  lay  floors 
with.  It  is  very  cool  and  clean,  and  looks  well.  The  Arabs  all 
make  good  servants,  and  they  do  all  the  work  about  the  house.  One 
never  sees  female  servants  in  the  hotels.  The  Arabs  are  a  hard  set  to 
deal  with,  and  one  never  deals  with  them  without  feeling  that  one 
has  been  cheated.  They  quarrel  with  each  other  all  the  time,  or  do 
something  that  has  that  appearance.  On  riding  up  the  Mount  of 
Olives  our  donkeys  were  in  charge  of  two  little  boys,  not  over  eight 
or  nine  years  of  age.  .  .  .  They  cried  out  something  which 
they  often  repeated,  and,  on  inquiry  as  to  what  it  meant,  I  was  told 
that  the  boys  were  cursing  the  father  of  the  donkeys,  and  learned 
that  it  was  a  common  habit  among  the  Arabs,  when  one  was  dis- 
pleased with  man  or  beast,  to  curse  his  father.     .     .     . 


190  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

Constantinople,  June  16,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  I  heard  a  few  dogs  bark  this  morning,  and  wonder  what 
has  been  up.  All  those  we  saw,  on  passing  through  the  streets, 
were  asleep.  I  have  heard  on  board  the  ship  that  these  dogs  have 
their  special  districts  which  they  jealously  guard.  Our  very  com- 
municative German  chambermaid  confirms  this  statement.  When- 
ever an  indiscreet  one  oversteps  his  boundary,  he  will  be  met  by  an 
army  of  observation,  which  will  be  strong  enough  to  enforce  the 
boundary  laws  of  dogdom.  A  still  more  curious  principle  which 
the  canines  of  Constantinople  enforce  is  that  when  a  stranger,  that 
is,  a  dog  from  some  other  city,  is  brought  to  the  city,  he  is  accorded 
the  freedom  of  the  town,  and  no  other  dog  would  be  mean  enough 
to  be  guilty  of  a  breach  of  courtesy  towards  him.  The  dog  here  be- 
longs to  the  district  in  which  he  is  born,  and  in  the  Moslem  portion 
of  the  city  they  are  kindly  cared  for.  Every  dog  has  his  day,  it  is 
said.  The  dog  in  Egypt  has  had  his.  There  are  no  dogs  in  Cairo 
now,  although  formerly  the  race  held  as  proud  a  position  there  as  it 
can  now  justly  boast  of  here.  But  the  English  Lion  came,  and 
wherever  the  English  Lion  wags  his  tail,  the  tail  of  the  dog  approxi- 
mates humbly  to  other  parts  of  his  body,  which  betokens  neither 
courage  nor  hopefulness.  The  dog  of  Contantinople  has  his  day 
still,  and  he  is  to  be  envied  for  his  evident  consciousness  of  security 
from  all  harm.     .     .     . 

Our  guide  was  promptly  on  hand  at  eight  A.  M.  to-day,  and 
we  started  on  round  and  alighted  at  the  Museum.     The  sarcophagi 

.  .  .  are  a  most  interesting  collection,  and  some  present  a 
coloring  that  is  unique.  .  .  .  One  formed  the  last  resting  place 
of  one  Abnit,  King  of  Babylon  thirteen  centuries  B.  C,  and  is  re- 
markable, clearly  exhibiting  Egyptian  art.  The  inscription  furn- 
ishes the  explanation  for  this.  The  King  states  that  he  bought  this 
sarcophagus,  conjures  all  to  leave  him  at  rest,  and  gives  the  sol- 


Oriental  Trip.  191 

emn  assurance  that  there  are  no  jewels  within.  He  apparently  told 
the  truth,  for  no  jewels  were  found  when  the  sarcophagus  was 
opened.  Time  makes  a  great  deal  of  difference  as  to  many  things. 
What  is  here  termed  archaeology,  when  consummated  somewhat 
earlier  is  termed  grave  robbery.  Another  very  fine  sarcophagus  is 
that  of  Elene  (Helenaj),  the  mother  of  Constantine.  It  is  a  master- 
piece of  art,  representing  the  lady  in  eighteen  different  attitudes, 
each  symbolizing  a  different  emotion.     .     .     . 

After  leaving  the  Museum  we  were  guided  to  the  Mosque  of  St. 
Sophia,  one  of  the  greatest  church  edifices  and  one  of  the  greatest 
trophies  that  the  Turks  have  to  show  for  the  wars  with  the  Chris- 
tians. It  is  a  most  remarkable  building,  and  makes  an  impression 
quite  different  from  that  produced  by  the  Gothic  churches  on  the 
continent  of  Europe.  The  latter  have  something  somber  about 
them,  while  the  former  makes  a  cheerful  impression  immediately  as 
one  enters.  It  is  an  immense  building,  and  gives  the  most  flattering 
testimony  to  the  skill  of  the  ancient  architect.  I  shall  not  begin  to 
describe  this  wonderful  mosque,  but  will  only  say  that  a  glimpse 
of  it  alone  would  be  sufficient  to  attract  one  to  Constantinople,  We 
heard  the  same  chants  which  sounded  so  pleasantly  in  my  ears  in 
the  Mosque  of  Mohammed  Ali  in  Cairo,  and  convinced  me  that  some 
of  the  melodies  of  the  Mohammedans  and  of  the  Jews  have  a  com- 
mon origin.     ... 

Friday,  June  18th,  was  a  great  day.  It  is  always  a  great  day  in 
Constantinople,  not  because  it  is  the  Moslem  Sabbath,  but  because 
it  is  the  occasion  of  the  Sultan's  going  to  his  mosque,  which  is  at- 
tended by  very  imposing  military  ceremonies.  We  had  to  go  to  the 
American  Legation,  where  we  procured  a  letter  granting  us  the 
privilege  of  entering  a  part  of  the  Palace  from  which  we  could  ob- 
serve the  whole  show.  We  came  in  time  and  had  a  good  seat  before 
an  advantageously  placed  window.  Soon  after  we  arrived,  about 
eleven  o'clock,  the  military  came  marching  from  all  directions.    The 


193  Aakon  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

bands  of  music  followed  one  another  in  quick  succession,  and  things 
looked  very  lively  on  the  Palace  grounds.  .  .  .  Finally  the 
time  for  the  passing  of  the  Sultan  came.  Everything  subsided  into 
perfect  stillness.  Then  there  followed  a  procession  of  the  digni- 
taries ;  this  embraced  some  of  the  most  venerable  looking  men  I  ever 
beheld.  Everything  was  quiet.  Then  came  carriage  after  carriage 
bearing  the  female  members  of  His  Majesty's  household.  The  cur- 
tains shielded  the  occupants  from  the  public  gaze.  Finally  the  Sul- 
tan's carriage  came.  He  was  attended  by  a  single  adjutant.  He 
is  rather  a  fine-looking  man,  but  looks  dejected  and  careworn.  As 
the  carriage  approached  the  mosque,  the  priest  on  the  minaret  per- 
formed his  part.  He  had  a  fine  voice  and  he  lent  additional  in- 
terest to  the  occasion.  The  carriages  bearing  the  twenty-three  wives 
stopped  short  of  the  mosque.  The  horses  were  detached,  and  the 
ladies  remained  in  the  carriages.  After  the  Sultan  entered,  there 
was  some  fine  singing  to  be  heard  in  the  interior  of  the  mosque. 
The  ceremony  in  the  mosque  lasted  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour. 
There  was  a  general  marching  off  of  the  military,  during  which  the 
Sultan  returned  to  the  Palace,  driving  the  horses  himself.  It  was  a 
magnificent  affair.  While  we  were  looking  at  the  various  parades, 
coffee  was  served,  and  was  very  agreeable  to  us.     .     .     . 

Constantinople  has  preserved  so  many  of  its  old  buildings  that 
it  presents  a  more  ancient  appearance  than  any  other  city  we  have 
seen,  with  the  exception  of  Hebron.  .  .  .  We  passed  through 
the  Jewish  quarter,  then  through  the  Turkish  quarter,  and  finally 
through  the  Greek  quarter.  I  could  not  distinguish  the  Jew  from 
the  Turk.     ... 

Constantinople,  June  21,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  It  is  now  11.30  A.  M.,  and  we  are  to  be  called  for  by 
Cook  and  Sons  for  embarkation  in  the  Austrian  Lloyd  that  is  to 


Oriental  Trip.  193 

carry  us  to  Athens,  and  so  I  have  a  little  time  left  to  continue  my 
story  about  our  Constantinople  experience.  We  had  been  so  busy, 
and  really  worked  so  hard  that  rdcy  [the  Sabbath]  with  its  rest- 
fulness  was  welcomed  with  special  delight.  I  went  to  a  Sephardic 
ScJml  in  the  evening  and  in  the  morning  and,  as  usual,  was  called 
up,  and  had  the  honor  of  opening  the  Aron  ha-Kodesh.  This  honor 
is  extended  in  a  peculiar  way,  which  I  noticed  also  in  Naples.  .  .  . 
First  I  had  to  draw  the  curtain,  then  I  unlocked  the  door,  and  then 
withdrew  a  second  curtain ;  in  closing  the  same  order  was  followed, 
and  finally  I  had  to  bring  the  key  to  the  Gahhai,  the  chief  official. 
The  services  were  very  decorous,  but  the  Chazzan  was  not  much. 
I  have  not  heard  a  good  Chazzan  since  I  left  home.     .     .     . 

One  immediately  recognizes  a  Turkish  house  here.  The  windows 
are  latticed  so  that  no  one  can  see  what  is  inside.  The  Turks  ap- 
parently get  along  well  with  their  many  wives.  The  Jews  and 
Turks  get  along  very  well  with  each  other.  The  Turk,  on  the  other 
hand,  has  no  friendship  for  the  Christian.  The  Turk  is  always  pre- 
pared to  protect  the  Jew  against  the  Christian,  and  the  Christian 
who  injures  a  Jew  has  to  answer  strictly  for  it.  .  .  .  The  Turk 
seems  to  be  a  good-natured  creature,  and,  we  are  told,  gives  no 
offense  unless  provoked;  every  one  here  says  that  the  Armenian 
massacre  was  brought  on  by  the  Armenians  themselves.  A  stranger, 
however,  cannot  judge  in  these  matters.     .     .     . 

Athens,  June  23,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  We  received  the  mail  sent  us  from  Jerusalem.  .  .  . 
We  were  delighted  with  the  letters,  having  heard  nothing  from 
home  for  such  a  long  time  The  description  of  the  march  of  the 
Massachusetts  Sixth  was  truly  touching.  Mamma  read  it  to  me 
and  had  to  stop.    I  took  up  the  letter,  but  it  was  too  much  for  me 


194  Aaron  Priedenwald,  M.  D. 

also.  Thank  God  that  Baltimore  has  been  given  the  opportunity  to 
show  that  she  recognizes  her  shame,  in  regard  to  the  outrage  perpe- 
trated upon  the  poor  fellows  of  that  regiment  in  1861 ! 

EOME,  June  28,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  Athens  has  a  very  modern  appearance,  and  no  one, 
looking  at  the  fine,  broad  streets  and  cheerful  houses  would  infer 
that  it  was  an  old  city.  What  there  is  of  Athens  ...  is  a 
new  city.  The  old  city  has  disappeared,  and  the  ancient  monuments 
and  ruins  are  the  only  witnesses  of  the  existence  of  the  Athens  of 
history.     .     .     . 

EoME,  July  1, 1898. 

My  dear  LITTLE  JULIA, 

Here  we  are  in  Rome,  a  great  city  very  far  off.  There  are  many 
things  to  be  seen  here,  and  there  are  many  stories  told  us  of  things 
that  have  happened  here  many  hundreds  and  even  thousands  of 
years  ago.  We  are  kept  busy  seeing  these  things  and  hearing  these 
stories  from  morning  till  night,  but  not  so  busy  as  not  to  remember 
that  your  [fifth]  birthday  is  approaching.  I  send  you  my  heartfelt 
coujgratulations  across  the  big  ocean.  ...  I  hope  that  you  will 
grow  up  to  be  a  fine  woman,  whom  everybody  will  love  as  I  love  you 
now.     .     .     .     God  bless  you. 

Your  Grandfather. 

Florence,  July  4,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  We  are  just  now  awaiting  a  report  of  the  engagement  at 
Santiago.  The  papers  report  that  the  Americans  have  suffered 
great  losses.  I  hope  that  we  shall  soon  hear  that  Santiago  has  been 
taken.     I  met  a  gentleman  from  Philadelphia  at  the  hotel  who 


Oriental  Trip.  195 

looked  very  gloomy,  but  I  feel  very  hopeful.  There  is  no  sympathy 
for  us  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  except  in  England.  We  talk  to 
none  but  Englishmen  and  Americans  about  the  war.     .     .     . 

Florence,  July  5,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  I  do  not  know  how  to  begin  my  story  about  Home.  It  is 
a  great  city  because  it  was  such  a  great  city,  and  because  it  has  pre- 
served so  many  monuments  which  brin^g  us  face  to  face  with  the 
past.  It  is  only  in  studying  what  the  past  really  was  that  we  can  be- 
come reconciled  with  the  shortcomings  of  the  present.  The  motives 
that  govern  men  may  not  be  better  now  than  they  were  in  the  past, 
when  men  delighted  in  the  practice  of  what  can  only  be  termed  bar- 
barism, but  things  have  been  so  shaped  in  our  civilization  that  the 
power  of  a  single  person  or  the  power  in  the  hands  of  a  few  cannot 
be  so  strong  as  to  commit  such  wrongs  and  avoid  responsibility.  In 
other  words,  the  world  at  large  is  not  so  defenceless  as  it  was,  and 
the  progress  of  civilization  seems  to  mean  the  development  of 
methods  and  means  by  which  every  individual  shall  know  what  jus- 
tice is  and  how  he  can  best  secure  and  maintain  his  rights.  .  .  . 
Progress  seems  slow,  when  we  contemplate  individual  evils  of  to- 
day, yet  when  we  look  at  the  monuments  of  the  past  and  listen  to 
their  testimony,  we  have  every  reason  to  be  hopeful  for  the  fu- 
ture.    .     .     . 

What  a  monument  is  the  Sistine  Chapel  to  the  genius  of  Mi- 
chelangelo !  Such  frescoes !  !  I  enjoyed  very  much  the  scene  in 
which  he  consigned  to  Inferno  a  cardinal  who  was  objectionable  to 
him,  with  his  own  picture,  now  indistinct,  grinning  at  him.  It  is 
said  that  the  Cardinal  found  things  too  hot  for  him,  and  appealed 
to  the  Pope  to  have  the  fresco  altered ;  the  Pope  replied,  "  If  Mi- 
chelangelo has  put  you  in  Purgatory,  I  would  cheerfully  release 
you;  but,  as  you  are  in  Hell,  non  possumus!" 


196  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

From  here  we  wended  our  way  to  the  Vatican,  and  brought  up  in 
the  rooms  containing  Eaphael's  great  paintings.  What  a  pity  that 
his  genius  does  not  live  now  in  some  one  who  could  exercise  his 
skill  on  subjects  that  would  be  more  suitable!  One  is  dosed  ad 
nauseam  with  the  many  holy  pictures  one  has  to  look  at  here.  Of 
course,  it  is  well  enough  to  say  that  these  are  great  works  of  art, 
and  one  need  only  look  at  them  in  that  light.  Yes,  they  are  great 
works  of  art,  and  they  have  been  held  up  so  long  before  the  eyes  of 
the  flock  that  their  effect  has  been  incomparably  greater  than  that  of 
the  staves  which  Jacob  shaped  and  placed  in  the  troughs.  These 
pictures  have  had  a  more  powerful  influence  in  molding  the  beliefs 
of  men  than  creeds  and  sermons  and  absolutions  and  what  not.  I 
am  persuaded  that  their  total  destruction  would  be  a  blessing.  I 
should  not  object  to  having  them  buried  for  a  few  centuries,  and 
then  discovered  and  exhibited  as  a  relic  of  the  art  of  the  past,  simi- 
larly to  the  artistic  creations  of  the  ancient  Greeks.  The  evil,  how- 
ever, will  in  all  probability  have  to  disappear  in  a  slower  way,  and 
the  world  will  have  to  wait.  It  is  well  for  all  the  world  to  have  pa- 
tience until  the  good  time  shall  come  when  the  truth  will  prevail, 
and  this  refined  idolatry  will  have  ceased,  and  religion  will  profess 
less  and  do  more  for  the  good  of  man.  But  for  us,  who  have  waited 
so  long,  to  whom  progress  seems  so  terribly  slow,  whose  expectations 
have  been  disappointed  so  often  by  misleading  signs,  for  whom  the 
greatest  century  in  the  world's  history  is  to  have  so  humiliating  an 
ending,  wird  die  Saclie  doch  ein  hischen  langweilig.  But  a  better 
day  will  come.    It  is  certain  to  come.    When,  the  Lord  knows.    .    .  . 

Venice,  July  8,  1898. 
Dear  Julia, 

.  .  .  This  is  a  great  city  built  on  the  sea.  The  streets  are 
mostly  paved  with  water  and  when  you  want  to  take  a  long  walk 
you  must  go  in  a  boat.  There  are  some  little  streets  on  land  and 
many  pretty  old  buildings.  Your  Grandfather. 


Okiental  Trip.  197 

Cadenabbia,  Lake  Como,  July  13,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  We  also  went  to  the  great  cemetery  [in  Milan],  which 
is  very  fine,  abounding  in  works  of  art,  and  possessing  a  crematory, 
which  was  explained  to  us  in  detail.  It  is  made  use  of  considerably, 
which  means  a  good  deal  when  we  know  that  Italy  is  a  Catholic 
country  and  that  cremation  is  interdicted  by  the  church.  A  curious 
fashion  prevailing  here  is  the  placing  of  a  photograph  in  porcelain 
of  the  deceased  on  most  of  the  tombstones.     .     .     . 

In  Eome  we  also  visited  the  Jewish  catacombs.  They  are  very 
interesting,  although  they  have  been  but  partially  explored.  It  is 
remarkable  that  they  bear  either  Greek  or  Latin  inscriptions.  A 
few  Hebrew  inscriptions  have  been  found,  but  they  have  been  re- 
moved to  some  museum.  I  think  that  the  probable  explanation  is 
that  they  had  forgotten  their  language,  as  has  been  the  case  in  a 
number  of  persecutions,  and  also  [that]  a  condition  of  too  great 
liberty  led  to  religious  indifference,  a  condition  which  unfortunately 
prevails  to  an  alarming  extent  in  Italy  to-day.     .     .     . 

In  the  afternoon  we  "  did  "  the  Coliseum  and  the  Forum.  It 
was  a  great  sight.  It  was  no  ordinary  impression  that  we  received 
in  standing  amid  the  scenes  of  such  great  historical  events.  The 
scene  is  overwhelming  in  its  effect.  How  much  history  does  it  not 
remind  us  of !  Volumes  have  been  written  about  it,  volumes  will 
continue  to  be  written  about  it,  and  to  the  end  of  time  the  newest 
things,  the  newest  thoughts  will  in  some  manner  be  brought  into 
relation  with  the  things  and  thoughts  and  life  which  have  made 
these  relics  famous.     .     .     . 

We  next  saw  the  Temple  of  Minerva,  an  ancient  establishment 
where  idolatry  was  carried  on  on  a  grand  scale;  it  has  been  con- 
verted into  the  present  St.  Laurence's,  where  idolatry  is  carried  on 
on  a  very  great  scale  also.  More  frescoes,  more  Madonnas,  more 
monuments  to  the  dead.     .     .     . 


198  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Stkesa,  Lake  Maggiore,  July  14,  1898. 
.  .  .  Among  all  the  artists  [whose  works  we  saw  in  Eome] 
Michelangelo,  in  my  opinion,  stands  preeminent,  and  I  cannot  ex- 
press myself  better  as  to  the  impression  his  works  made  upon  me 
than  by  repeating  what  I  said  after  seeing  his  many  masterpieces 
and  his  portrait,  painted  by  one  of  his  greatest  pupils :  "  He  looks 
as  if  he  had  made  himself."     .     .     . 

Lucerne,  July  18,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  We  have  seen  Thorwaldsen's  lion  again,  and  sat  before 
it  a  good  long  time,  and  it  appears  the  greater,  the  longer  one  looks 
at  it.  .  .  .  Yesterday  we  took  the  trip  to  the  Pilatus  Kulm 
and  looked  down  upon  the  great  mountains  and  the  lake  below. 
We  saw  the  most  various  and  beautiful  wild  flowers,  the  stately 
pines  and  cedars  all  the  way  up,  and  from  the  summit  we  had  a 
grand  view  of  the  Alps,  their  peaks  and  crags  and  chasms  and 
smiling  valleys.  .  .  .  The  mountains  show  their  snow-caps 
proudly,  as  if  saying,  "  We  all  belong  to  one  great  family."     .     .     . 

When  I  saw  the  young  folks  with  their  alpenstocks  yodeling  as 
they  ascended  this  great  mountain  afoot,  I  thought  of  the  time 
that  my  feet  tripped  up  joyfully  in  the  same  way,  and  I  felt  grate- 
ful for  what  I  enjoyed  thirty-seven  years  ago,  and  I  feel  equally 
grateful  that  we  can  enjoy  together  what  a  bounteous  nature  has 
so  lavishly  provided.  I  feel  thankful  for  the  vigor  of  my  youth 
which  I  so  love  to  remember,  and  for  our  advancing  years,  which 
others  may  notice,  but  which  we  feel  so  little. 

It  is  remarkable  how  unfriendly  all  Europe,  with  the  exception 
of  England,  is  to  America.  It  is  amusing  to  hear  that  it  is  not 
right  for  any  government  to  interfere  in  the  internal  affairs  of  any 
other  country.  I  asked  one  gentleman  what  he  had  to  say  about 
the  powers  sending  their  navies  to  Crete,  not  so  very  long  ago. 


Oriental  Trip.  199 

"  That  was  an  international  question,"  he  replied.  I  wanted  to 
know  why  we  could  not  do  a  little  of  the  international  business 
ourselves.     ... 

Baden-Baden,  July  28,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

Baden-Baden  seems  to  have  been  chosen  by  nature  as  its  holiday 
place.  Such  grand  forests !  Such  lovely  mountains  and  hills  and 
charming  valleys,  and  smiling  cottages  and  palatial  villas.  The 
Gardener  has  chosen  to  place  his  chef  d'ceuvre  here.  Wherever  one 
goes  one  hears  the  sweet  music  of  some  rushing  brook,  and  wher- 
ever one  stops  there  is  a  friendly  inn  to  bid  him  welcome. 

.  .  .  Our  people  have  two  congregations  here,  the  one  recog- 
nized by  the  government,  which  is  reformed,  and  the  Eeligions- 
gesellschaft,  which  is  orthodox.  .  .  .  There  is  a  good  deal  of 
bad  feeling  existing  between  the  members  of  the  two  organizations. 
One  would  suppose,  with  the  common  hatred  which  assails  them 
from  without,  that  they  would  have  learned  by  this  time  to  become 
more  peaceable  among  themselves.  The  opinion  which  I  formed 
when  I  was  in  Germany  last,  that  on  the  whole,  bad  as  things  are 
with  us,  they  are  immeasurably  better  than  they  are  in  Germany, 
has  been  strengthened.  There  are  a  few  very  stanch  Jews  in  most 
places;  the  majority,  however,  are  indifferent,  and  in  great  part 
anxious  to  divest  themselves  of  anything  that  would  make  them 
known  as  Jews.  Conversions  to  Christianity  and  intermarriages 
have  largely  increased.  Anti-Semitism  is  much  complained  of. 
The  German  Jews  have  a  bad  time  of  it.  When  they  live  quietly 
they  are  accused  of  grasping  all  they  can  and  keeping  it ;  and,  when 
they  "  put  on  style  "  and  spend  their  money  freely,  they  are  pointed 
out  as  the  parasites  who  have  appropriated  the  wealth  of  the  coun- 
try: Will  this  ever  get  better,  or  is  the  German  heart  incapable  of 
that  elevation  which  will  approve  of  fair  play  for  all  men  ?  There 
14 


300  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

is  not  much  generosity  among  the  Germans,  anyway.  They  don't 
like  it  a  bit  that  America  has  succeeded  so  well  in  its  war  against 
Spain.  They  complain  that  America  had  no  right  to  interfere  in 
the  internal  affairs  of  a  neighboring  country,  and  that  America  is 
rich  enough  and  large  enough  and  ought  to  be  satisfied.  I  told 
some  of  them  that  we  did  not  propose  to  learn  how  to  be  satisfied 
from  Germany.     .     .     . 

Cologne,  August  2, 1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  The  news  of  Bismarck's  death  was  announced  [last  Sun- 
day]. .  .  .  He  was  not  a  friend  of  our  people;  the  Anti-Semi- 
tism which  has  disgraced  Germany  these  many  years  was  conjured 
up  by  him;  and  therefore  there  will  be  no  mourning  in  Israel  for 
him.  From  the  standpoint  of  a  German  ...  he  was  certainly 
a  great  man.  But  there  is  a  great  difference  in  great  men.  What 
a  contrast  between  him  and  Gladstone !  The  one  wanted  to  attain 
a  great  object,  and  it  mattered  little  as  to  the  choice  of  means  to 
reach  it;  the  other  never  disobeyed  the  dictates  of  his  conscience  in 
the  work  he  did.     .     .     . 

S.  S.  Chevalier,  August  16,  1898. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  The  journey  took  us  over  a  beautiful  part  of  Scotland, 
richly  cultivated,  and  showing  the  golden  color  of  the  ripened  wheat- 
fields  to  greater  advantage  than  I  had  ever  seen  it.  The  very  dark 
green  fields  which  surrounded  them  formed  frames  that  added  much 
to  the  beautiful  picture.  .  .  .  There  are  parts  which  are  quite 
ruggedly  picturesque,  where  the  farmer  does  not  ply  his  trade  and 
the  heather  imparts  a  soft  reddish  purple  to  the  landscape.  We 
traveled  with  a  very  nice,  plain  Scotch  lady,  who  was  very  patriotic 
and  pointed  out  the  interesting  points  on  the  way  and  became  quite 
enthusiastic  in  her  descriptions.     .     .     . 


Oriental  Trip.  201 

London,  August  25,  1898. 

Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  On  Monday  we  .  .  .  rode  through  hitherto  unex- 
plored regions  [of  London]  on  top  of  omnibuses.  One  can  hardly 
tire  of  this  in  this  great  and  highly  interesting  city.  The  city  is 
much  changed  and  the  improvements  are  marvelous.  The  new 
streets  that  have  been  opened  and  the  many  fine  buildings  that  have 
been  erected  upon  them  have  been  done  altogether  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  County  Council.  The  individual  has  had  to  yield  to  the 
corporation,  and  the  result  has  been  advantageous.  It  looks  a  little 
strange  to  us  Americans  that  men  cannot  build  as  they  please  and 
that  individual  liberty  has  had  to  yield  somewhat  to  the  general 
will  in  the  construction  of  buildings.  I  find  that  it  is  just  as  neces- 
sary that  the  individual  should  be  directed  by  some  general  authority 
in  the  construction  of  buildings  as  by  the  general  law.  When  every 
man  can  have  his  own  way,  the  individual  becomes  prominent  to 
the  disadvantage  of  the  general  public,  and  just  such  results  ap- 
pear as  are  so  painfully  illustrated  by  the  Stafford  Hotel  [in  Balti- 
more] defacing  a  whole  neighborhood  and  injuring  the  value  of 
neighboring  property.  Here  all  the  new  streets  show  the  effect  of 
some  general  design ;  our  streets,  especially  in  business  districts,  dis- 
play the  ill  effect  of  unrestricted  competition  in  building.     .     .     . 

This  morning,  ...  at  the  invitation  of  Dayyan  Spiers,  I 
[went]  to  the  Beth-Din.  The  Beth-Din  convenes  every  Monday 
and  Thursday  morning  at  eleven  o'clock  to  settle  difficulties  between 
Jews  who  are  willing  to  submit  their  disputes  to  the  adjudication 
of  the  Jewish  Law.  I  stayed  from  eleven  to  half-past  twelve  o'clock, 
and  was  extremely  interested.  The  parties  recognize  the  decisions 
as  just  and  they  have  their  differences  settled  promptly  and  without 
cost.  ...  I  have  a  note  of  the  cases  which  were  brought  up, 
and  may  refer  to  them  when  I  come  back.  ,  .  .  The  Shochetim 
[slaughterers]  are  also  to  some  extent  under  the  control  of  the  Beth- 


202  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

Din.  One  candidate  presented  his  knife,  which  was  found  to  be  in 
good  condition.  He  was  asked  to  step  out  and  the  Dayyan  took  out 
his  penknife  and  made  a  small  nick,  which  the  candidate  promptly 
found  when  it  was  returned  [to  him] .... 


.:a^K^r-^:-^ 


DR.   AND   MRS.  AARON    FRIEDENWALD 
1899 


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CHAPTEE  X. 

Letters  (1899-1901). 

In  the  spring  of  1899,  while  in  Germany,  I  received  a  number 
of  letters,  from  which  the  following  passages  have  been  taken: 

Baltimore,  May  4,  1899. 

Dear  Harry, 

...  I  forgot  to  mention  that,  at  the  first  evening  meeting  of 
the  Medical  and  Chirurgical  Faculty  at  McCoy  Hall,  President 
Gilman  introduced  me  to  Dr.  George  Adam  Smith,  who  lectured  a 
few  years  ago  on  the  "  Psalms "  at  the  Hopkins,  and  who  is  the 
author  of  the  "Historical  Geography  of  Palestine."  He  talked 
with  me  about  my  trip.  I  sent  him  the  Exponent  with  my  lecture 
on  the  colonies,  and  he  wrote  me  a  letter  saying  how  much  it  inter- 
ested him,  which  I  prize  very  highly.     .     .     . 

Baltimore,  May  11,  1899. 

Dear  Harry, 

.  .  Last  night  mamma  and  I  went  to  Ford's  to  see  a  play 
produced  by  a  German  company  from  New  York.  The  piece,  a 
drama,  called  "  Das  Erie/'  was  fine,  and  the  acting  superb.  It  was 
acting  so  close  to  nature  that  one  felt  that  he  was  witnessing  an 
actual  event.  There  was  only  a  very  small  Publicum  present.  The 
German  influence  has  decidedly  diminished  in  Baltimore  during  the 
last  thirty  years.  There  are  very  few  left  of  those  who  were  in  the 
prime  of  life  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago ;  those  who  were  younger 
have  become  thoroughly  Americanized,  and  .  .  .  very  few  have 
immigrated  since.     .     .     . 


204  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Baltimore,  May  31,  1899. 
Dear  Harry, 

The  world  is  advancing.  Bobenhausen,  I  learn  from  your  letter, 
much  to  my  surprise,  is  on  the  line  of  the  railroad.  And  you  have 
been  in  Altenbuseck !  I  remember  my  grateful  feelings  towards  my 
father,  when  I  visited  the  old  home  in  1860,  for  not  letting  me  be 
born  and  brought  up  as  one  of  its  citizens.     .     .     . 

In  July  and  August,  1900,  my  parents  made  a  trip  through  the 
Western  part  of  the  United  States.  The  following  extracts  are  taken 
from  letters  written  by  my  father  while  on  this  journey. 

Denver,  July  13,  1900. 
Dear  Children, 

Anybody  who  does  not  think  this  is  a  big  country  had  better 
measure  it.  There  is  no  wonder  .  .  .  that  some  men  are  anx- 
ious to  become  .  .  .  President  of  so  great  a  country,  but  some 
go  about  it  in  a  very  foolish  way  We  brought  enough  dust  with  us 
from  Chicago  to  be  molded  into  a  country  almost  as  big  as  some 
which  have  a  standing  army.  Beyond  Chicago  the  country  is  flat, 
but  neither  stale  nor  unprofitable.  We  learned  some  things  about 
the  hardships  undergone  by  the  early  settlers  which  are  quite  inter- 
esting. It  seems  to  me  that,  besides  other  things,  McKinley  votes 
are  growing  out  here.  Ifs  a  big  subject,  and  I  have  but  little 
paper.     ... 

Pike's  Peak,  July  17,  1900. 
Here  we  are  at  the  summit  of  Pike's  Peak.  We  could  not  resist 
the  temptation.  Except  for  being  a  little  light-headed,  we  are  well 
and  enjoy  this  grand  prospect.  Such  scenes  as  we  have  passed  are 
indescribable.  "  0  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works !  In  wisdom 
hast  thou  made  them  all."  We  thank  Him  for  permitting  us  to  be- 
hold this  great  sight. 


Letters  (1899-1901).  205 

Colorado  Springs,  July  17,  1900. 
Deae  Children, 

...  We  arrived  at  Colorado  Springs  at  11.55  this  morning. 
The  man  who  was  to  take  us  and  our  baggage  to  the  hotel,  learning 
that  we  wanted  to  take  the  train  for  Pike's  Peak  at  1.30  P.  M., 
proposed  to  take  us  to  Manitou  and  through  the  Garden  of  the 
Gods  and  leave  us  at  the  station  in  time  for  Pike's  Peak.  We 
let  him  .  .  .  send  our  baggage  to  the  hotel  and  jumped  into 
his  carriage,  and  off  we  were.  Such  a  drive !  It  was  magnificent. 
The  town  of  Manitou  is  a  garden  spot,  the  houses  apparently 
hanging  on  the  side  of  the  mountains  and  receiving  the  full  benefit 
of  the  mountain  streams  in  a  beautiful  water  course  that  rushes 
over  many  rocks  and  sings  a  continuous  sweet  song.  But  .  .  . 
the  Garden  of  the  Gods!  What  a  grand  surprise!  No  plants 
that  wither,  no  flowers  that  fade,  no  trees  that  are  uprooted  by  the 
storms,  as  many  of  the  latter  as  we  have  seen  hereabouts,  but  a 
grand  park  of  stone,  planted,  as  it  were,  to  commemorate  the 
glory  of  its  great  Artificer !  Here  you  see  what  at  a  little  distance 
looks  like  a  Gothic  cathedral,  statues  of  all  sorts  of  beings,  here  a 
porcupine,  there  an  ant-eater,  further  on  many,  many  mushrooms 
that  do  not  grow  in  a  night  and  wither  in  a  day,  and,  to  vary  the 
picture,  many  vases  with  .  .  .  flowers  and  shrubbery  of  stone 
overhanging  their  sides.  Not  even  the  great  gate  at  the  entrance 
has  been  forgotten.  No  such  scene,  probably,  is  to  be  found  any- 
where else  in  the  world.     .     .     . 

We  got  to  the  station  in  time  for  the  Pike's  Peak  train,  and  up 
and  up  we  went.  And  what  a  panorama  passed  before  us  on  our 
journey!  Such  rocks,  with  such  forms!  .  .  .  Masonry  that  is 
sublime  and  gigantic,  and  next  to  which  the  grand  buildings  of  our 
great  cities  are  but  pygmies !  Towers,  citadels,  fortresses,  palaces, 
all  greeted  us  in  turn  as  up  we  went,  and  such  beautiful  wild-flowers 
and  so  many  waterfalls  and  streams  that  bounded  from  rock  to 


206  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

rock,  made  up  of  many  uniting  and  then  parting  again  and  slipping 
away  in  all  directions  between  the  rocks,  apparently  lost  to  each 
other,  and  again  leaping  over  each  other,  like  one  grand  game  of 
hide  and  seek !  And  then  the  beautiful  pines  that  grew  luxuriantly 
under  the  protection  of  the  mountain  slopes !  .  .  .  Where  this 
shelter  was  wanting,  those  that  were  stripped  of  foliage  and  limbs, 
and  only  showed  short  remains  of  what  had  been  prolific  boughs, 
looking  like  the  great  spinal  column  of  some  .  .  .  huge  being, 
with  the  remnant  of  its  ribs !  And,  as  we  neared  the  summit  more 
and  more,  we  had  below  us  all  the  other  mountains,  .  .  .  bow- 
ing in  submission  .  .  .  to  the  highest  of  all.  We  spent  forty- 
five  minutes  on  the  summit,  where  the  government  has  its  signal 
station.  Well,  I  suppose  you  think  we  were  very  light-headed  to 
undertake  such  a  venture.  We  felt  a  little  light-headed  when  we 
were  up  there.  Everybody  has  a  little  of  this  sensation.  It  has  a 
very  peculiar,  stuffy  effect  upon  the  hearing,  .  .  .  but  we  were 
all  right  as  soon  as  the  train  began  its  descent.     .     .     . 

Salt  Lake  City,  July  27,  1900. 
Dear  Harry, 

Here  we  are  in  the  "  New  Zion,"  with  Tabernacle  and  Temple,  the 
Dead  Sea  not  far  off,  and  prophets  too.  I  shall  have  much  to  write 
later  on.     .    .     . 

Grayling  Inn, 
South  Fork  of  Madison  Eiver,  Mont. 

July  25,  1900. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  I  must  say  a  word  about  Salt  Lake  City.  It  is  a  reve- 
lation. On  approaching  the  Mormon  settlement  we  had  an  illustra- 
tion of  what  was  called  a  wilderness  before  they  came.  They  have 
accomplished  wonders.     Through  thrift  and  especially  through  a 


Letters  (1899-1901).  207 

wise  system  of  irrigation  they  have  established  forests  of  poplars 
and  other  trees  and  made  a  most  charming  place  of  it.  Salt  Lake 
City  is  really  beautiful,  and  the  great  Temple,  Tabernacle,  Assem- 
bly Hall,  and  Tithing  Court  gives  it  a  characteristic  interest.  The 
streets  are  all  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  trees  are  every- 
where, shading  the  sidewalks.  There  are  many  things  to  be  said 
about  Salt  Lake  City  and  the  Mormons;  I  shall  only  say  this:  in 
talking  with  a  number  of  influential  Gentiles  I  find  that  it  is  the 
general  opinion  of  that  class  that  the  development  of  the  state  and 
of  the  city  would  have  been  much  greater  had  the  Mormons  never 
settled  there.  The  management  of  the  city  has  for  a  number  of  years 
been  under  the  control  of  the  Gentiles,  and  much  of  its  recent  pro- 
gress is  attributed  thereto.  The  Mormons  are  not  progressive.  The 
Gentiles  have  been  attracted  by  the  mining  interests,  which  are  very 
great,  and  if  the  Mormons  had  not  been  here  there  would  have  been 
a  still  greater  settlement.  It  is  a  remarkable  coincidence  that  both 
in  South  Africa  and  in  Utah  it  was  the  discovery  of  the  mines  that 
brought  to  these  countries  the  people  who  stayed  the  hands  of  those 
who  wanted  to  make  a  country  for  themselves,  no  matter  how  much 
it  would  stand  in  the  way  of  progress.     .     .     . 

Yellowstone  National  Park,  July  36,  1900. 
Dear  Children, 

It  is  now  7.30  P.  M.;  we  have  finished  our  supper,  and  I  have 
been  sitting  a  little  while  before  the  big  fire  in  the  lobby  of  the  hotel. 
When  I  looked  into  the  fire,  I  thought  of  Ik  Marvel's  "  Reveries  of 
a  Bachelor,"  and  all  sorts  of  fancies  rose  before  me.  I  forgot  the 
dust  and  the  stinging  of  the  sun  in  the  afternoon,  but  I  could  still 
hear  the  gurgling  of  the  hundred  cooking-pots  below  ground;  the 
beautiful,  dazzling  colors  of  the  pools  are  still  delighting  my  eyes, 
and  I  see  the  steam  rising  here  and  there  in  tall  columns  as  a  sign 
of  what  is  going  on  below,  and  then  the  eruptions  of  the  geysers  dis- 


208  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

tract  my  attention  from  all  other  things,  and  I  realize  that  we  are 
where  nature  is  exhibiting  her  greatest  wonders.  How  can  I  give 
an  account  of  all  this? 

This  morning,  at  about  8.30  o'clock,  we  started  for  the  Midway 
and  the  Upper  Basin.  What  we  had  hitherto  seen  was  in  the  Lower 
Basin.  The  weather  was  fine  and  cool,  ...  a  good  rain  set- 
tled the  road  for  us,  and  we  cheerfully  began  our  ride.  In  the  Mid- 
way there  are  a  number  of  geysers  which  become  active  at  irregular 
intervals;  and,  although  we  saw  none  in  eruption  here,  we  had  a 
good  opportunity  to  inspect  the  formation  that  characterized  them. 
The  pools,  the  "  Emerald,"  "  Prismatic,"  and  "  Turquoise,"  are 
such  gems  that  the  jeweler  is  put  to  shame.  Here  he  could  get  in- 
spiration for  colors  and  forms,  but  he  could  never  reproduce  them. 
Such  spectra,  rich  and  sparkling,  can  certainly  be  seen  nowhere  else. 
The  "  Emerald  "  Pool,  for  instance,  has  a  central  pool  on  the  sur- 
face of  which  all  colors  are  seen,  green  in  the  center,  surrounded 
by  a  band  of  yellow,  trimmed  with  a  broad  border  of  Pompeian  red 
with  an  edging  of  delicate  grayish-white.  The  "  Prismatic  "  pool 
has  the  most  dazzling  spectra;  the  water  is  clear  and  one  sees  deep 
into  the  cauldron,  and  from  the  sides  of  the  walls  beautiful  colors 
are  reflected.  From  all  the  pools  there  run  in  all  directions  little 
streams  that  have  a  bed  of  red  always  trimmed  with  a  lighter, 
fringe-like  border.  But  here  I  shall  stop  trying  to  do  what  cannot 
be  done,     .     .     . 

There  are  two  sorts  of  geysers ;  those  that  rise  from  the  center  of 
a  pool  and  throw  up  hot  water  in  great  bulk  but  to  no  great  height, 
and  those  that  issue  through  a  peculiar  formation  which  does  not 
allow  such  broad  columns  of  fluid  to  escape,  but  the  .  .  .  jet 
is  very  high,  rising  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  feet. 
One  of  these,  the  "  Bee-hive,"  is  situated  on  an  eminence,  a  white, 
hard,  marble-like  mass,  on  which  there  is  something  very  much  like 
a  bee-hive.  In  this  there  is  a  smooth,  cylindrical  opening.    We  saw 


Letters  (1899-1901).  209 

a  number  of  these  of  various  forms,  and  then  reached  a  lunching 
station  of  rather  rustic,  but  very  attractive  character.  We  had  some 
time  before  lunch  and  we  strolled  over  to  "  Old  Faithful,"  a  geyser 
which  has  an  eruption  regularly  about  every  hour.  During  the  time 
we  spent  in  coming  and  going  we  saw  three  eruptions.  It  was  a 
grand  spectacle.  Hundreds  of  kodaks  are  turned  on  it  every  day. 
There  are  many  pictures  to  be  purchased,  but  the  kodakist  wants 
to  take  his  own,  and  always  hopes  to  have  a  better  one  than  anybody 
else.  We  saw  a  number  of  other  eruptions.  I  have  read  many  elabo- 
rate descriptions  of  all  these  scenes,  but  they  all  fall  so  much  short 
of  the  truth  that  I  hesitate  to  give  my  own  impression.  Certain  it 
is  that  this  trip  has  been  a  wonderful  experience,  and  enjoyment  is 
not  the  word  that  can  express  what  we  have  felt.  One  day  .  .  . 
in  the  park  is  far  more  than  an  equivalent  for  the  great  journey,  its 
hardship,  and  the  pecuniary  outlay.  Here  nature  seems  to  revel  in 
one  great  kaleidoscope.     .     .     . 

Yellov^stone  National  Paek,  July  28,  1900. 
Dear  Children, 

Here  we  are  at  ...  at  Yellowstone  Lake,  having  arrived  at 
6.15  P.  M.  yesterday.  .  .  .  We  moved  about  very  little,  for  at 
an  altitude  of  over  seven  thousand  feet  very  few  can  undertake 
physical  exercise  without  its  causing  shortness  of  breath.  .  .  . 
What  a  wonderful  place  this  park  is !  It  is  a  great  cabinet  in  which 
nature  exhibits  her  most  precious  gems :  mountains  and  rivers ;  lakes 
and  gusliing  streams;  geysers  showing  the  remarkable  formations 
through  which  they  pour  out  columns  of  boiling  water;  .  .  . 
the  basins  with  their  openings,  from  which  issue  significant  sub- 
terranean murmurs;  endless  forests,  with  their  ancient  trees  reach- 
ing straight  up  one  hundred,  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  even  two 
hundred  feet;  pools  with  grotesque  shapes  and  glittering,  .  .  . 
ever-changing  colors  which  make  one  fancy  that  all  the  rainbows 


210  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

of  past  times  have  been  dissolved  in  them;  little  rivulets  that  have 
painted  the  tracts  over  which  they  course  in  effects  that  would  serve 
as  fine  models  for  wall  decorations ;  and  such  flowers,  such  beautiful 
wild-flowers  in  profusion,  in  the  shade,  in  the  brightest  sunlight,  in 
the  woods,  fringing  the  roads  and  streams,  here,  there,  and  every- 
where !     .     .     . 

Yesterday  morning  ...  we  passed  through  part  of  the  Up- 
per Basin,  .  .  .  and  "  Old  Faithful "  gave  us  one  of  its  most 
beautiful  performances.     It  had  been  perfectly  at  rest  before  we 

arrived,  but  it  was  expected  soon  to  go  to  work.    Mr.  T and 

I  walked  right  up  to  it  and  looked  down  its  throat,  when  we  heard  a 
gurgling  sound.  We  withdrew  our  heads  quite  promptly,  and  up 
came  a  puff  and  off  we  ran,  for  a  Jet  of  boiling  water  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  high  was  sent  forth.  It  was  a  glorious  sight,  and  our 
company  enjoyed  both  the  eruption  and  our  run,     .     .     . 

Yellowstone  National  Park, 
Grand  Canyon  Hotel,  July  29,  1900. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  Well,  I  must  give  in.  I  contended  that  nothing  could 
surpass  what  we  had  already  seen,  but  .  .  .  this  is  the  grandest 
of  all.  The  Grand  Canyon  is  the  grandest  of  all  nature's  pictures. 
It  runs  fully  two  and  a  half  miles.  Its  walls  incline  upward  and 
outward  for  fifteen  hundred  feet  and  more,  at  an  angle  of  about 
sixty  degrees,  and  in  its  apparently  narrow  bed  the  Yellowstone 
River  flows.  I  say  apparently  .  .  .  narrow,  for,  judging  from 
the  infinitesimal  appearance  of  two  men  half-way  down,  a  very  big 
river  would  have  plenty  of  elbow-room  in  it.  The  colors  reflected 
from  these  walls  are  marvelous  both  in  their  individual  tints  and 
in  their  blendings,  yellow,  red,  brown,  green,  delicate  pale  blue,  and 
shades  that  I  cannot  enumerate.  But  more  than  this,  what  grand 
carvings  these  great  walls  present !     The  "  Castle  Euins,"  for  ex- 


Letters  (1899-1901).  211 

ample,  are  like  an  enormous  castle  partly  defaced  by  time.  From 
"  Inspiration  Point "  we  got  a  good  look  at  this  great  exhibition  of 
coloring  and  of  rocks  decorated  by  that  great  Hand  whose  work  is 
inimitable.  We  stood  awestruck.  .  .  .  And  here  and  there 
stood  separate  pillar-shaped  rocks  of  grotesque  form,  upon  which 
eagles  had  made  their  nests,  and  upon  which  one  proud  possessor 
had  already  alighted.  It  seemed  that  here  was  the  .  .  .  throne 
of  the  great  American  eagle.     .     .     . 

In  1901  my  parents  visited  the  Pan-American  Exposition  in  Buf- 
falo, which  my  father  regarded  as  "  a  great  success.  The  architec- 
tural effect,"  he  wrote,  "  is  grand,  and  the  electrical  illumination  is 
wonderful."  From  the  exposition  the  journey  extended  to  Toronto, 
Quebec,  and  Montreal,  and  thence  by  way  of  Lake  Champlain  and 
Lake  George  to  Tannersville,  in  the  Catskills,  at  which  a  short  stay 
was  made.  The  following  letter  was  written  to  his  granddaughter, 
who  was  then  in  Europe. 

Montreal,  August  10,  1901. 
Deae  Julia, 

I  wonder  where  you  are  and  what  you  are  doing.  If  there  were 
a  telephone  between  you  and  me,  I  would  ring  you  up,  and  I  wonder 
how  you  would  say  "  Hello !"  in  German.  I  suppose  you  have  seen 
wonderful  things,  seen  many  kinds  of  people,  and  made  some  nice 
little  German  girl  friends.  Do  they  have  the  same  games  that  little 
girls  have  here  ?  Do  you  or  they  study  more  for  school  ?  Have  they 
all  grandfathers  that  love  them  as  much  as  I  do  you  ?  If  you  answer 
all  these  questions  fully,  you  will  have  quite  a  letter  to  write  to  me. 
Good-bye.    God  bless  you.  Affectionately, 

Grandpa. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Last  Days  (1902). 

My  father  generally  enjoyed  fairly  good  health,  although  he  suf- 
fered at  intervals,  from  the  days  of  his  early  manhood,  in  spite  of 
the  greatest  moderation  in  eating  and  drinking,  from  gastro-intesti- 
nal  disturbances.  In  1880  he  had  an  attack  so  severe  that  he  was 
confined  to  his  bed  for  nearly  two  months.  At  one  time  during  this 
illness  his  life  was  almost  despaired  of.  In  1901  certain  symptoms, 
at  first  very  slight,  made  their  appearance,  indicating  functional 
gastro-intestinal  disturbances.  These  symptoms  became  annoying, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1902  he  was  persuaded  to  go  to  Europe  in  the 
hope  of  recovering  his  health.  Although  he  suffered  considerably 
before  his  departure,  his  illness  did  not  interfere  in  any  way  with 
the  varied  activities  in  which  he  was  engaged.  He  continued  to  see 
his  patients  till  the  day  he  left  Baltimore.  He  finished  his  course  of 
lectures  at  the  college.  On  May  18,  1902,  he  took  part  in  the  exer- 
cises at  the  annual  examination  of  the  children  of  the  Hebrew 
Orphan  Asylum.  The  next  day.  May  19,  he  left  Baltimore,  accom- 
panied by  my  mother,  and  on  May  20  they  sailed  from  IS'ew  York 
on  the  Eaiser  WiUiehn  der  Grosse.  At  the  advice  of  a  medical 
friend  he  went  to  Herrenalb  in  the  Black  Forest,  remaining  there 
until  July  2.  While  at  Herrenalb  he  felt  decidedly  better  at  inter- 
vals, and  at  Ejssingen,  which  was  his  next  stopping-place,  his 
health  seemed  markedly  to  improve.  The  following  letters  are 
taken  from  his  correspondence  while  On  this  trip. 

Fraxkfoet,  June  3,  1902. 
Deae  Children, 

.     .     .     Frankfort  is  a  most  charming  city,  and  the  Franl-furter 
Hof  has  made  us  feel  very  much  at  home.     I  like  almost  every- 


^ 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 

1903 


-.al 

annoying, 


ue 


•rk 


QJAWnaaaifl^  horaa 


■fp}- 


Last  Days  213 

thing  here  except  the  way  they  speak  German.  In  pronouncing 
their  words  they  are  very  economical  with  their  consonants,  leaving 
them  out  of  the  question  as  much  as  possible  as,  for  example,  "  Ich 
wed's  lesorje',"  and  then  they  squeeze  their  vowels  so  that  all  the 
juice  runs  out.  The  women,  as  a  rule,  walk  as  gracefully  as  they 
talk,  and  nevertheless  they  have  a  sort  of  self-satisfied  assurance 
that  is  enviable. 

Herrenalb,  June  9,  1902. 
Dear  Children, 

.  .  .  Well,  the  Boer  War  is  over.  I  am  sorry  for  the  loss  and 
suffering  of  these  brave  fellows.  I  am  glad,  however,  that  the  war 
is  over,  and  that  England  will  continue  in  power  in  South  Africa, 
and  that  the  whole  territory  between  Egypt  and  Cape  Colony  will 
form  a  domain  over  which  the  English  flag  will  prevail.  I  feel  sure 
that  this  will  redound  to  the  advantage  of  civilization  and  will  ul- 
timately make  Africa  a  country  where  many  thousands  of  Eur<3- 
peans  will  establish  themselves. 

Herrenalb,  June  17,  1902. 
Dear  Julla, 

I  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  beautiful  letter  you  wrote  us. 
Grandma  and  I  have  just  returned  from  a  long  walk  and  brought 
home  with  us  a  fine  bouquet  of  wild  flowers,  which  we  collected  in 
going  along  the  road.  The  fields  all  around  form  a  magnificent  car- 
pet of  wild  flowers  of  all  colors.  Daisies,  large  and  small,  butter- 
cups, bluebells,  forget-me-nots,  and  many  other  flowers,  whose 
names  we  have  not  yet  learned,  abound  ever3'where.  I  was  never 
in  a  place  where  there  were  so  many  charming  brooks,  whose  rush- 
ing, soothing  voices  never  cease,  and  which  plunge  down  the  rocks 
and  splash  into  the  air,  as  if  they  always  had  a  holiday. 

Oh,  how  sleepy  you  would  be  later  in  the  day,  if  you  had  to  gD 


214  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

to  school  as  early  as  the  children  here  are  compelled  to  do !  But 
they  are  happy,  and  go  along  in  long  rows  with  knapsacks  on  their 
backs,  both  girls  and  boys,  and  seem  proud  of  them.  They  greet 
everyone  as  they  pass  along  in  the  most  friendly  manner.  Neither 
the  boys  nor  the  girls  wear  hats,  and  therefore  the  wind  can  play 
them  no  tricks  by  trying  to  blow  them  off.  The  millinery  stores 
here  do  not  complain  of  this,  for,  so  far  as  I  know,  there  are  none 
here.     .     .     . 

Hekrenalb,  June  18,  1902. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  To-day  it  has  been  raining  all  day  long,  and  it  is  cold 
at  the  same  time,  so  that  we  have  passed  our  time  pleasantly  in  a 
warmed  room.  Guests  are  now  arriving,  and  things  are  beginning 
to  look  more  lively.     .     .     . 

Mamma  was  just  reading  something  in  the  Badische  Presse, 
dated  the  nineteenth,  a  day  ahead.  I  suppose  they  think  their  news 
is  new  enough  for  to-morrow.  A  funny  country  this,  in  some 
ways!    ... 

WiLDBAD,  June  22,  1902. 
Dear  Julia  and  Jonas, 

We  are  here  after  a  delightful  drive  through  the  Black  Forest. 

There  is  nothing  wild  here  but  the  beasts  in  the  menagerie,  and 
so  far  as  the  Bad  is  concerned,  we  haven't  discovered  it.     .     .     . 

Kissingen,  July  20,  1902. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  One  has  very  little  time  here,  except  for  doing  nothing. 
We  get  up  at  six,  and  it  is  generally  seven  before  our  day's  duty  be- 
gins. We  go  to  the  Brurmen,  get  the  water,  warm  it,  drink  it 
slowly,  and  then  go  to  the  doctor.    Then  we  return  to  the  Brunnen, 


MRS.   AARON    FRIEDENWALD 
1903 


l>u\':^\:iA. 


aJAWnaaam^  horaa  .shm 

v,oox 


Last  Days  215 

drink  some  more  water,  take  a  little  more  time  to  do  it,  walk  a  little 
while  doing  it,  listen  to  the  music,  and  watch  the  passing  throng 
of  young  and  old,  well-dressed,  ill-dressed,  shapely,  grotesque, 
comely,  and  uncombed  individuals,  doing  pretty  much  the  same 
thing.  We  hear  nearly  all  languages  .  .  .  and  see  a  very  in- 
teresting kaleidoscopic  picture.     .     .     . 

Bad  Kissingen,  July  22,  1902. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  One  cannot  fail  to  notice  the  difference  between  the 
manners  .  .  .  here  and  what  we  are  used  to  at  home.  The 
bowing  and  doflSng  of  hats  is  promptly  and  conscientiously  carried 
out  in  a  sort  of  conventional  spirit.  Everything  in  the  way  of  po- 
liteness is  too  much  stereotyped.  .  .  .  Courtesies  which  flow 
from  consideration  for  the  comfort  of  others  are  not  so  spontaneous 
as  they  are  at  home.  The  difference  seems  to  me  to  be  this.  Here 
people  have  but  limited  personal  rights,  or  they  suppose  so,  so  that 
what  they  consider  a  right  they  hold  on  to  with  a  grasp  of  grim 
death.  A  gathering  on  a  pavement,  instead  of  giving  way,  will 
make  other  persons  go  all  the  way  around  them  to  pass  by.  On  the 
benches  they  claim  all  the  room  they  possibly  can,  and  look  surly 
at  those  who  try  to  find  a  place  for  themselves  also.  When  they 
want  to  get  through  a  crowd  they  simply  push  each  other  aside 
without  a  word  of  apology,  and  many  other  thin,gs  of  this  sort  may 
be  seen.  In  America  everybody  feels  that  he  has  all  the  rights  he 
needs,  and  this  feeling  makes  him  liberal,  as  he  has  sufficient  and  to 
spare,  so  that  he  delights  in  bestowing  some  upon  others.  I  think 
this  is  the  characteristic  difference  between  German  and  American 
politeness.  Politeness  in  the  one  case  is  in  accordance  with  fixed 
rules ;  in  the  other  it  is  governed  by  the  spontaneous  promptings  of 
the  occasion.  Again,  politeness  here  is  measured  out  in  greater  or 
smaller  quantities  according  to  gradations  in  society,  while  with 
15 


216  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

us  a  gentleman  is  never  apprehensive  lest  he  be  too  polite  to  one 
who  might  be  considered  as  occupying  a  lower  station  in  life. 

KissiNGEN,  July  27,  1902. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  Last  Friday  I  went  to  synagogue  where,  as  usual,  I 
found  a  large  attendance.  Professor  Jules  Oppert,  of  the  Institute 
of  France,  was  pointed  out  to  me,  and  I  had  a  little  talk  with  him. 
He  is  a  very  old  gentleman,  apparently  very  nervous,  and  seems  very 
devout  while  at  service,     .     .     . 

KissiNGEN,  July  30,  1902. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  It  will  please  you  to  have  me  tell  you  that  I  am  doing 
very  well. 

This  morning  we  saw  some  friends  from  Frankfort  off.  .  .  . 
We  became  much  attached  to  them.  We  seem  to  be  fortunate  in 
meeting  people  wherever  we  stop,  to  whom  we  become  attached,  and 
this  is  a  great  pleasure  to  us  indeed.  We  are  to  go  to  Badenweiller 
when  I  am  to  get  more  "well."  We  shall  stop  at  Wiirzburg  and 
Heidelberg. 

Heidelberg,  August  2,  1902. 
Dear  Harry, 

.  .  .  Prof.  F.  examined  me  very  carefully  and  after  he  got 
through  told  me  that  I  had  a  tumor  of  the  pylorus  and  that  he 
would  recommend  an  operation.  ...  I  told  him  that  I  preferred 
to  have  it  done  at  home.  .  .  .  We  shall  leave  Hamburg  on  the 
Furst  Bismarck  on  Aug.  7.  We  have  to  face  the  matter  and  put 
our  trust  in  God.     ... 

I  regret  to  have  to  make  so  serious  a  communication,  but  we  must 
all  bear  up  bravely. 


Last  Days  217 

The  manner  in  which  he  received  the  announcement  that  he  was 
suffering  from  a  malignant  disease  (cancer  of  the  stomach),  after 
he  had  been  led  to  believe  that  his  complete  recovery  was  a  matter 
of  a  short  time,  was  characterized  by  coolness  and  courage.  A 
friend  wrote  "  Beiuundernswerth  is  der  Mut  dieses  Marines,  der  der 
Gefahr  ruhig  entgegensieht,  alles  iiherlegt,  und  seinen  Frieden  mit 
der  Erde  maclit." 

He  had  a  "  most  pleasant  voyage,"  during  which  he  felt  "  remark- 
ably well."  At  the  "  captain's  dinner,"  on  the  evening  before  the 
vessel  landed,  he  was  called  upon  to  make  a  speech.  This  speech, 
I  was  afterwards  told,  was  very  bright  and  enjoyable. 

He  returned  to  Baltimore  on  Sunday,  August  17,  1902,  and  on 
being  informed  of  the  recent  death  of  his  friend,  the  Reverend  Dr. 
Benjamin  Szold,  wrote  the  following,  his  last  important  letter. 

Baltimore,  August  17,  1902. 
Mrs.  S.  Szold  and  Family, 

Dear  Friends. — I  have  just  returned  home.  I  was  greatly  shocked 
to  learn  that  my  good  old  friend,  Eev.  Dr.  B.  Szold,  had  passed 
away.  I  crave  the  privilege  of  mingling  my  grief  and  tears  with 
yours.  I  revered  him  as  the  scholar  and  teacher  in  Israel ;  I  thor- 
oughly appreciated  the  influence  of  his  kind,  genial,  generous  na- 
ture; I  loved  him  because  I  felt  that  my  heart  was  bound  to  his. 
Accept  my  heartfelt  condolence.  May  the  example  which  he  has 
been  to  us  all  be  your  consolation  and  strengthen  you  to  bear  your 
grief.  Mrs.  Friedenwald  desires  to  join  me  in  these  sentiments. 
Sincerely  yours,  A.  Friedenv^ald. 

Preparations  for  an  operation  were  made.  At  this  time  my 
father,  although  he  saw  only  his  near  relatives  and  went  out  only 
for  a  few  short  walks,  was  always  in  good  spirits,  and  never  showed 
the  slightest  depression.    He  set  all  his  worldly  affairs  in  order,  and 


218  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

on  Wednesday,  August  20,  he  underwent  the  operation.  The  diag- 
nosis that  had  been  made  was  confirmed,  but  it  was  found  that  the 
disease  had  made  much  greater  progress  than  had  been  anticipated, 
so  that  the  removal  of  the  growth  was  impossible.  The  operation 
was  followed  by  intense  suffering.  My  father  bore  it  all  uncom- 
plainingly, appreciative  of  every  attention  on  the  part  of  his 
nurses,  and  bravely  fighting  the  battle  for  life.  "  You  know  how 
cowardly  most  of  us  physicians  are  when  we  face  the  great  crisis,'' 
I  wrote  shortly  afterwards  to  a  brother  medical  man.  "  He  knew 
the  nature  of  his  disease  but  too  well,  but  he  did  not  murmur,  he 
was  cheerful  to  the  last,  and  with  profound  faith  in  the  great 
|Dn*n  pNJ  «3n,  the  '  faithful  and  merciful  Healer,'  he  left  his  case 
in  His  hands,  ready  and  willing  to  abide  by  His  decision."  The  end 
came  on  August  26,  1902  (Ab  23,  5662)  at  1.35  A.  M.  His  mind 
was  perfectly  clear  until  the  last;  he  called  for  certain  remedies 
only  a  few  minutes  before  he  died.  His  wife  and  all  of  his  children 
were  at  his  bedside  at  the  end. 

In  accordance  with  my  father's  wishes,  the  services  at  his  funeral 
were  those  of  the  simple  Jewish  ritual,  no  sermon  or  address  being 
delivered.  He  was  buried  on  Wednesday,  August  27,  in  the  ceme- 
tery of  the  Baltimore  Hebrew  Congregation,  in  which  his  grand- 
father, his  parents,  and  many  of  his  relatives  lie  interred.  Memorial 
services  were  held  at  the  synagogue  of  the  Chizuk  Emoonah  Con- 
gregation, of  which  he  was  president,  on  Sunday,  ISTovember  9,  1902. 
Addresses  were  delivered  by  Reverend  Dr.  H.  P.  Mendes,  Rabbi  of 
the  Shearith  Israel  Congregation,  of  New  York,  Reverend  Dr.  H. 
W.  Schneeberger,  Rabbi  of  the  Chizuk  Emoonah  Congregation,  Dr. 
Cyrus  Adler,  president  of  the  Jewish  Theological  Seminary,  of  New 
York,  and  Professor  Solomon  da  Silva  Solis  Cohen,  of  Jefferson 
Medical  College,  Philadelphia.  At  a  memorial  meeting  of  the  fac- 
ulty, alumni,  and  students  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, held  on  December  2,  1902,  addresses  were  delivered  by  Dr. 


AARON   FRIEDENWALD 

1902 


ajAwnaaam^  hoaaa 


e  diag- 
hat  the 


iS  case 

rhe  end 

tt;<  Tiiind 

-     Ues 


ac- 


'.red  by  Dr. 


Last  Days  219 

William  Simon,  Professor  of  Chemistry,  and  Dr.  John  Ruhrah, 
Clinical  Professor  of  Pediatrics.  At  the  twenty-ninth  annual  re- 
union of  the  Liberal  Club,  December  31,  1902,  a  commemorative 
address  was  delivered  by  Mr.  Louis  Edward  Levy,  of  Philadelphia. 
The  addresses  delivered  on  these  several  occasions  I  collected  and 
had  printed  privately  in  the  year  1903. 

My  father's  grave  is  marked  by  a  simple  stone,  on  which  is  en- 
graved the  following  inscription: 


13  [73  ng 

njipHa  ">i3:j»3iya  pDj^u?  pKjn  KS)"jn 
nVgni  nnir  r^janvh  vn  nc^  -itj;m 

pih  i!J|7i'  w^a  Jiay  y  inr  "hii 

DB.  AABON  FBIESENWAID 

Bom  December  20,  1836 

Died  August  26,  1902 


t      t     «     I     > 


ADDRESSES 


INTEODUCTOEY  ADDEESS  DELIVEEED  BEFOEE  THE 
CLASS  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SUE- 
GEONS  OF  BALTIMOEE  CITY,  SEPTEMBEE  U,  1881. 

Gentlemen  : 

You  are  confronted  by  a  long  course  of  medical  lectures,  which 
will  exact  of  you  the  most  earnest  attention  and  long-continued 
labor.  With  all  the  enthusiasm,  so  characteristic  of  youth,  which 
has  accompanied  you  thus  far,  and  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  will 
cheer  you  on  to  the  full  attainment  of  your  object,  you  will  prob- 
ably experience  some  solicitude  in  taking  a  survey  of  the  field  of 
labor  over  which  you  will  have  to  pass.  In  mustering  your  strength 
to  see  whether  it  is  adequate  for  the  task  before  you,  you  may 
be  filled  with  misgivings;  in  testing  once  more  the  motives  which 
have  impelled  you  to  a  work  which  will  impose  from  the  start  the 
most  earnest  labor  and  entail  in  the  future  the  gravest  responsi- 
bilities you  will  perhaps  be  subjected  to  anxious  emotions.  Many 
among  you  are  here  for  the  first  time,  and  you  stand  upon  strange 
ground. 

We  meet  you  at  the  threshold  of  the  new  sphere  in  which  you 
are  to  move,  and  it  is  my  pleasant  privilege  to  extend  to  you,  on 
the  part  of  the  Faculty,  a  most  cordial  welcome,  and  to  assure  you 
of  the  kind  sympathy  and  warm  encouragement  of  those  who  will 
be  your  guides. 

If  you  have  fortified  yourselves  with  earnestness  of  purpose,  the 
difficulties  which  you  will  encounter,  and  which  at  first  may  assume 
threatening  forms,  will  all  be  successfully  overcome.  The  progress 
which  the  proper  diligence  and  application  will  soon  enable  you 
to  make  will  render  your  further  labor  less  and  less  irksome.     It 


222  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

will  teach  you  to  appreciate  the  relations  which  the  different  de- 
partments of  the  science  into  which  you  will  be  introduced  bear 
to  each  other;  and  instead  of  regarding  them  as  quite  separate 
studies  from  which  you  will  have  to  apprehend  cumulative 
difficulties,  as  it  may  appear  to  you  at  the  outset,  you  will  soon  dis- 
cover that  an  acquaintance  with  one  will  greatly  facilitate  the  com- 
prehension of  the  others.  Do  not  be  discouraged  if  you  do  not 
advance  at  the  beginning  of  your  work  as  rapidly  as  you  would 
wish.  Your  earlier  obstacles  surmounted,  those  that  will  follow 
will  not  be  so  formidable. 

Your  studies  will  embrace  the  laws  of  life,  with  its  endless  revela- 
tions. From  the  beginning  of  man's  existence,  through  his  devel- 
opment and  growth  to  his  senility  and  decay,  his  physical  nature 
will  be  opened  to  your  investigation.  The  wonderful  parts  of 
which  he  is  composed  will  be  made  to  tell  their  interesting  stories 
of  duties  thoroughly  fulfilled.  They  will  show  you  how,  though 
providing  well  for  themselves,  they  are  always  mindful  of  the 
welfare  of  others :  at  one  time  listening  for  anxious  messages  from 
afar  and  promptly  sending  relief  and  sustenance ;  at  another,  watch- 
ful of  approaching  danger  and  sending  forth  the  thrill  of  warning; 
here  receiving  requisitions  from  distant  laboratories  for  fresh 
material;  and  there  hurrying  currents  loaded  with  effete  and 
noxious  matter  to  willing  colaborers  that  eject  it  from  the  system, 
so  that  the  purity  of  the  organism  be  not  defiled;  here  revivifying 
the  vital  fluid  after  its  return  from  its  voyage  through  the  entire 
body  and  receiving  its  account  of  waste  provided  for,  of  warmth 
imparted,  of  wonderful  products  elaborated,  and  wafting  away 
in  one  breath,  far  into  space,  the  debris  of  destruction  which  it  has 
brought  back  in  testimony  of  its  useful  pilgrimage;  there  becoming 
the  receptacle  of  the  purified  stream,  propelling  it  through  its 
countless  tributaries,  and  throbbing  anxiously  that  all  parts,  near 
and  far,  large  and  infinitesimal,  may  receive  their  due  share  of 


Addresses.  233 

new  life.  Part  after  part  will  be  made  to  reveal  its  interesting 
history  of  useful  work  performed;  and,  while  all  will  modestly 
acknowledge  their  dependence  upon  others,  there  will  be  none  so 
modest  but  that  it  will  claim  to  have  accomplished  something  that 
could  have  been  accomplished  only  by  itself.  And  as  you  will 
learn  more  and  more  of  the  individual  character  of  each  part,  mar- 
velling at  the  regularity  and  precision  with  which  the  more  im- 
portant ones  perform  their  life-sustaining  functions,  and  gleaning 
what  you  can  from  the  more  subordinate  ones  which  seem  more 
anxious  to  preserve  their  secrets,  but  which  will  furnish  unmis- 
takable evidence  that  they  too  cannot  be  spared,  you  will  be  forced 
to  realize  that,  great  as  they  are,  wonderful  as  they  are,  they  are 
but  parts  of  one  grand,  harmonious  whole. 

But  you  will  not  be  permitted  to  stop  here.  Having  progressed 
thus  far,  you  will  be  taught  that  your  eyes  can  be  aided  to  see  what 
otherwise  would  remain  among  the  unseen,  and  the  existence  of 
which  could  hardly  be  suspected.  Countless  small  bodies  will  reveal 
their  presence  to  you  in  every  spot,  claiming  to  be  the  integral 
elements  of  every  part  that  they  inhabit;  and  simple  as  they  are, 
and  minute  as  they  are,  they  present  such  strong  individual  features 
that  wherever  found  their  nativity  cannot  be  mistaken.  They  form 
pavements  of  the  most  curious  and  highly  ornamental  designs,  they 
constitute  the  channels  in  their  innumerable  ramifications,  and 
they  build  up  the  solid  walls.  They  are  the  springs  which  unite 
their  energy  to  form  the  motive  power;  they  are  the  skilful  work- 
men in  the  laboratories  from  which  issue  such  inimitable  products; 
and  they  are  the  vessels  sailing  along  the  streams,  safely  carrying 
their  treasures  to  distant  harbors.  They  form  the  intricate  web 
which  binds  the  parts  together  in  their  entirety  and  in  their  ele- 
mentary structure.  They  weave  those  strong  bands  upon  which 
the  mighty  levers  expend  their  strength.  They  constitute  the  essen- 
tial elements  in  those  silvery  cords  which  emanate  from  the  great 


224  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

central  depot  of  intelligence,  spreading  their  threads  in  all  direc- 
tions, stopping  at  many  way-stations,  proceeding  on  their  Journey 
to  remote  regions  where  their  traces  are  lost,  carrying  to  and  fro 
with  inconceivable  rapidity  the  messages  of  life. 

In  studying  these  enchanting  phenomena  in  their  endless  varia- 
tions, pausing  at  times  wonder-stricken  at  the  revelations  that  you 
encounter,  marvelling  at  the  simple  methods  by  which  Nature 
accomplishes  her  great  ends,  you  will  become  possessed  with  an 
irresistible  desire  to  continue  your  explorations  farther  and  farther, 
until  you  reach  those  regions  that  have  not  yet  been  thoroughly  ex- 
plored. And  when  you  have  learned  that  Nature  does  not  impart 
all  her  secrets  gratuitously,  you  will  be  imbued  with  a  noble  aspir- 
ation to  become  one  of  the  favored  class  whose  rare  merits  have 
entitled  them  to  the  honor  of  having  contributed  something  new 
to  science. 

But,  gentlemen,  you  will  not  be  permitted  to  look  only  upon  the 
bright  side  of  the  picture.  From  your  studies  of  the  human  organ- 
ism as  it  presents  itself  in  health,  you  will  pass  to  those  investiga- 
tions which  are  to  make  you  familiar  with  the  changes  wrought 
by  that  fell  spirit,  disease.  How  changed  the  picture !  How  varied 
the  scenes!  Everywhere  the  enemy  lurks;  assuming  a  thousand 
different  shapes,  making  its  invasions  by  every  avenue,  penetrating 
every  recess  of  the  human  organism;  seizing  the  infant  violently  at 
its  very  entrance  into  the  world,  and  throttling  it  in  its  first  gasp  for 
life;  planting  its  seed  often  into  the  new  being  long  before  its 
birth,  causing  it  to  germinate  there,  and  to  develop  into  those 
moral,  mental,  and  physical  infirmities  which  are  to  be  recognized 
as  the  lasting  inheritance  bequeathed  by  a  previous  victim.  How 
cruel  the  monster,  besieging  infancy,  crushing  vigorous  manhood, 
and  inexorable  to  old  age !  How  varied  its  warfare !  How  numer- 
ous its  weapons !  Sometimes  it  entails  the  most  serious  con- 
sequences by  the  slightest  violence;  and  again  it  is  driven  to  deal 


Addresses.  225 

its  heaviest  blows  before  the  victim  succumbs.  Here,  by  just  tap- 
ping a  little  stream,  a  slight  inundation  follows,  and  at  once  the 
features  become  distorted,  language  is  rendered  unintelligible,  and 
the  limbs  dangle  helpless  on  the  trunk.  How  the  suffering  parts 
yearn  to  tell  each  other  of  their  sorrow !  but  the  line  of  communi- 
cation is  cut  off,  and  there  are  no  messages  sent,  none  received. 
There  it  just  touches  a  little  valve  bathed  in  the  vital  fluid,  and  the 
whole  tide  is  changed.  The  motive  power  increases  its  energy,  and 
there  is  the  most  anxious  throbbing  that  no  catastrophe  should 
happen.  But  still  the  streams  flow  sluggishly,  the  parts  fail  to 
receive  their  adequate  supply  of  nourishment,  and  the  whole  organ- 
ism suffers. 

We  will  look  upon  another  scene.  The  demon  blows  a  pestilential 
breath,  and  see,  the  body  quivers  and  shrinks  as  if  touched  by  an 
Arctic's  chilling  blast.  Look  at  the  ashy  pallor,  "  Is  it  not  the 
look  of  death  ?  "  you  ask.  No,  it  is  but  the  wind  that  fans  the  fire. 
See,  warmth  returns,  and  all  is  soon  aglow.  The  furnaces  are 
forced  to  intensify  their  heat,  and  a  general  conflagration  threatens 
to  consume  the  body.  How  turbulent  the  streams  become !  With 
what  velocity  the  currents  run  their  course !  The  tumult  and  the 
whirl  confuse  the  thoughts,  and  the  mind  wanders.  The  parts 
still  send  their  signals,  but  they  are  no  longer  understood.  One 
misleads  the  other,  and  many  mishaps  occur.  The  compact  is 
broken,  for  each  works  for  itself  alone,  or  not  at  all;  and  anarchy 
reigns  supreme.  .  .  .  The  panorama  moves  on.  Behold  the  next 
victim!  There  he  lies,  helpless  and  so  changed  as  to  be  rendered 
an  object  of  disgust.  He  has  been  tossed  upon  many  a  rough  sea, 
and  at  last  is  shipwrecked,  and  deserted  by  all  his  friends,  save 
one,  his  physician.  How  came  he  to  his  grief?  It  is  a  sad  story, 
and  painful  to  relate.  The  enemy  crept  upon  him  stealthily,  in 
the-  full  enjoyment  of  life.  No  fierce  onslaught  was  made.  The 
victim  continued  his  revels,  for  he  knew  not  that  he  had  been  in- 


236  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

jured.  No!  I  will  not  recount  all  the  sorrows  through  which  he 
passed.  Behold  him,  and  enough  will  strike  your  eye  to  enlist 
your  warmest  sympathy.  His  flesh  has  melted  into  large  sores, 
as  if  touched  by  the  red-hot  iron.  Through  his  face  the  ghastly 
bones  protrude,  his  vision  is  lost,  and  there  is  just  enough  reason 
left  for  him  to  know  his  woe.     We'll  let  the  curtain  fall. 

Painful  as  the  contemplation  of  disease  may  be  to  you,  it  is  not 
without  its  compensating  features.  You  will  delight  to  learn  that 
the  vital  forces  do  not  surrender  themselves  without  making  a 
brave  resistance.  They  enter  upon  the  mobt  desperate  struggles  to 
drive  out  the  invader.  They  bear  long  sieges  well,  and  though 
near  exhaustion,  having  drawn  their  last  rations,  they  often  succeed 
in  triumphing  over  the  enemy.  It  is  not  an  uncommon  experience 
that  desperate  diseases  which  place  the  patient  in  the  greatest  pos- 
sible jeopardy  are  cured  by  nature's  efforts  alone.  This  is  a  great 
blessing,  for  which  doctors  should  be  extremely  grateful,  because  it 
is  to  this  that  they  owe  much  of  their  reputation.  Indeed,  it  may 
not  only  be  said  that  very  sick  patients  get  well  without  remedies, 
but  also  that  they  get  well  in  spite  of  them.  It  is  a  fortunate 
circumstance  that  the  doctor  can  submit  his  prescriptions  to  so 
reliable  a  proof-reader,  who  inserts  what  he  finds  wanting,  and 
renders  innocuous  what  should  not  have  been  added. 

In  humbly  acknowledging  how  much  the  cure  of  disease  is  due 
to  nature's  efforts,  the  doctor  does  himself  no  discredit ;  for,  if  he 
assumes  the  proper  position,  he  claims  only  to  lend  a  helping  hand, 
and  he  feels  himself  sufficiently  justified  in  the  willingness  with 
which  the  extended  hand  is  grasped. 

But  it  is  not  only  in  saving  life  that  nature's  efforts  play  so 
notable  a  part,  but  also  in  repairing  damages  done  to  organs,  and 
compensating  for  those  damages  that  cannot  be  fully  repaired.  In 
regard  to  the  former,  it  may  be  said  that  it  is  the  only  patchwork 
which  is  as  good  as  new ;  and  the  latter  is  full  of  suggestions  from 


Addresses.  227 

which  every  civil  engineer  may  draw  useful  lessons.  In  many  cases 
of  disease,  this  power  of  self-defence  can  be  largely  relied  upon  to 
bring  the  case  to  a  favorable  termination,  and  the  physician  has 
little  else  to  do  than  to  guard  the  patient  against  accidents  and 
complications,  and  to  combat  them  when  they  do  occur;  in  other 
words,  to  see  that  nature's  efforts  have  fair  play  in  the  combat  with 
what  is  essentially  the  disease. 

While  it  is  well  fully  to  value  the  valor  and  prowess  of  the  vital 
forces  in  coping  unaided  with  certain  diseases,  it  would  be  an 
unfortunate  policy  for  the  profession  to  pursue,  should  we  remain 
an  army  of  observation  in  regard  to  others  to  which  they  offer  but 
very  little  opposition,  but  which  have  a  decided  respect  for  certain 
ammunition  at  our  command. 

Diseases  make  themselves  known  to  us  in  a  language  which  we 
call  symptoms.  Every  disease  has  a  language  of  its  own ;  but  while 
some  differ  very  much,  there  are  others  that  are  exceedingly  similar. 
But  this  is  not  the  only  difficulty  which  confronts  us  in  interpreting 
the  languages  of  disease  correctly.  I  have  already  hinted  at  com- 
plications; these  too  have  their  languages,  so  that  we  are  often 
placed  in  the  predicament  of  listening  to  two  different  languages 
spoken  at  the  same  time.  You  have  no  doubt  experienced  how 
difficult  it  is  to  give  the  proper  attention  to  two  or  more  persons 
speaking  simultaneously,  and  you  have  no  doubt  discovered  also 
that  it  is  not  always  the  one  speaking  the  loudest  who  is  entitled 
to  the  privilege  of  being  heard  exclusively.  Sometimes  a  symptom 
will  apparently  present  such  urgency  as  entirely  to  conceal  others 
that  are  of  a  much  more  important  character.  This  may  be  a 
source  of  very  serious  mistakes.     .     .     . 

But  there  are  still  more  difficulties  of  this  nature  to  be  con- 
sidered. Languages  are  spoken  in  many  dialects.  It  is  so  with 
thejanguage  of  disease.  A  symptom  of  the  same  disease  is  often 
quite  differently  pronounced  in  different  cases,  a  circumstance  which 


238  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

leads  not  seldom  to  serious  disagreements  in  the  consultation-room. 
It  is  probably  to  a  great  extent  owing  to  this  that  the  public  has 
discovered  that  doctors  differ. 

Allow  me  to  mention  one  more  peculiarity  in  this  regard.  The 
voice  of  every  individual  has  in  it  something  that  is  characteristic. 
We  often  succeed  in  recognizing  a  person  solely  by  the  voice,  when 
in  other  respects  he  has  changed  so  much  that  he  might  pass  for 
somebody  else.  Now,  in  the  language  of  disease  this  peculiarity  of 
voice  will  also  be  noticed,  and  it  is  owing  to  this  that  there  are 
no  two  cases  of  the  same  disease  exactly  alike.  This  illustrates  how 
important  it  will  be  for  you  to  cultivate  well  your  powers  of 
observation. 

After  becoming  acquainted  with  the  human  organism  in  its  nor- 
mal condition,  and  witnessing  the  changes  which  it  undergoes  dur- 
ing disease,  and  learning  to  discriminate  accurately  between  the  evi- 
dences of  diseases,  you  will  desire  to  know  all  about  the  means  by 
which  they  can  be  controlled. 

When  you  cast  your  eyes  over  the  long  list  of  remedies  which  are 
employed  in  the  treatment  of  diseases,  and  read,  in  the  descriptions 
of  their  curative  properties,  of  all  the  good  that  can  be  accomplished 
by  them,  you  will  wonder  how  it  is  that  there  is  still  so  much 
sickness  uncontrolled,  and  that  there  are  so  many  cases  of  premature 
death  to  be  deplored. 

The  remedies  to  which  you  will  be  introduced  will  be  highly 
recommended  for  one  purpose  or  another,  and  sometimes  for  a 
number  of  purposes;  and,  while  you  will  witness  their  good  effects 
with  great  delight,  in  many,  many  cases  you  will  be  disappointed 
to  find  that  they  will  not  be  responded  to  so  promptly,  or  so  com- 
pletely, or  what  is  worse,  that  they  will  be  followed  by  conditions 
quite  contrary  to  those  desired.  To  expect  a  remedy  to  act  inva- 
variably  in  the  same  way  would  be  quite  unreasonable.  It  would 
be  extremely  ungrateful  to  quarrel  with  an  old  friend  who  has 


Addresses.  229 

assisted  us  materially  hundreds  of  times,  simply  because  his  last 
efforts  were  not  attended  by  the  same  degree  of  success.  Avoid  the 
counsel,  therefore,  of  those  who  try  to  bring  discredit  upon  the 
materia  medica  by  simply  referring  to  what  is  left  undone,  ignoring 
the  great  blessings  they  bestow  upon  millions  of  suffering  mankind. 
Do  not  become  ungrateful  to  your  old  friend;  and  when  he  asks 
you  for  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  others,  be  not  afraid  of 
saying  too  much  in  his  favor;  for,  if  he  serve  others  as  well  as  he 
has  served  you,  not  a  word  will  be  erased,  and  he  will  be  sent 
further  on  his  journey  with  no  less  flattering  credentials. 

Gentlemen,  you  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  beginning  the  study 
of  the  science  of  medicine  in  its  healthiest  period  of  development. 
The  roads  have  been  opened  in  every  part  of  its  domain,  and  there 
is  a  freedom  of  movement  and  a  freedom  of  thought  that  has  never 
before  existed  to  the  same  degree. 

There  was  a  period,  and  it  held  sway  long,  in  which  a  system  es- 
tablished by  some  leading  spirit  in  the  profession  governed  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine.  This  system  controlled  the  thoughts  of  medical 
men,  until  another  leading  mind  arose  and  supplanted  it  by  a  new 
system.  At  certain  periods  there  were  several  systems,  each  with 
its  trusty  followers,  contending  bitterly  for  the  supremacy.  This 
may  with  propriety  be  designated  as  the  aristocratic  age  of  medicine. 
This  age  accorded  either  to  a  single  individual  or  to  a  privileged 
class  the  prerogative  to  do  the  thinking  for  those  whom  they  con- 
sidered the  plebeians  of  the  profession.  They  reared  their  struc- 
tures and  gave  them  fine  proportions,  but  they  could  not  stand 
the  test  of  time.  They  began  to  build  in  the  wrong  way.  They 
first  put  up  their  theoretical  framework,  and  then  endeavored  to 
close  the  walls  by  facts  as  their  building  material.  But  facts  are 
stubborn  things;  they  will  not  fit  in  every  place  in  which  they  are 
put,  neither  will  they  permit  themselves  to  be  hewn  into  any  re- 
quired shape;  so  these  builders  were  compelled  to  make  use  of  a 
16 


230  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

very  liberal  application  of  the  plaster  of  false  reasoning  to  give 
their  walls  the  appearance  of  solidity.  These  walls  readily  yielded, 
and  required  propping  on  all  sides,  and  it  was  comparatively  easy 
work  for  the  founder  of  a  new  system  to  exhibit  the  weakness  of 
previously  existing  structures.  The  profession,  discovering  from 
time  to  time  that  it  had  been  held  in  bondage  to  false  doctrines, 
threw  off  the  yoke,  but  failed  to  establish  its  liberty,  for  in  de- 
posing one  master  it  swore  allegiance  to  another. 

But  the  storm  finally  came;  the  monarchs  were  dethroned,  and 
their  edifices  crumbled  to  the  ground.  Every  hand  was  lifted 
against  something,  nothing  was  regarded  as  holy,  and  destruction 
became  the  order  of  the  day.  This  was  the  nihilistic  period.  It 
raged  fiercely,  but  was  short-lived.  Nothing  could  grow  at  such 
a  time,  for  the  eye  delighted  to  look  upon  the  waste,  and  ruins 
became  the  prominent  objects  in  the  landscape. 

A  brighter  day  has  dawned,  and  its  genial  warmth  has  imparted 
new  life.  The  rubbish  has  been  cleared  away,  the  solid  building 
material  has  been  reclaimed,  and  the  fallacious  theories  have  been 
placed  as  headstones  upon  the  graves  of  their  founders.  Every- 
where the  call  for  fresh  material  is  heard,  and  everywhere  it  is 
earnestly  responded  to.  But  more  and  more  building  material  is 
required,  and  we  are  charged,  and  you  will  be  charged,  to  be 
assiduous  in  the  search  for  it.  The  work  which  has  been  accom- 
plished thus  far  is  great,  and  the  rejoicing  in  its  contemplation  is 
great,  for  it  is  the  work  of  the  many,  of  the  many  who  have  delved 
unremittingly  in  every  department,  who  have  sought  truth  for 
truth's  sake,  and  who  have  placed  the  foundation  of  the  new  edifice 
upon  solid  ground,  and  not  upon  the  sand.  This  is  the  age  of 
honest  work,  and  the  work  is  cheerfully  done,  for  the  laborer  dreads 
not  the  ban,  and  owes  allegiance  but  to  truth.  This  is  the  age  of 
freedom,  the  mind  is  disenthralled;  and  where  the  mind  is  free, 
the  hands  are  active. 


Addresses.  231 

The  development  of  the  science  in  recent  times  is  to  be  regarded 
as  of  an  especially  healthy  character,  for  a  steady  growth  is  to  be 
observed  in  everj^  distinct  part  thereof;  while  in  time  past  all  the 
talent  in  the  profession  was  often  drawn  to  the  cultivation  of  cer- 
tain parts,  and  others  were  allowed  to  wither.  A  body  that  does 
not  enjoy  an  equable  growth  will  necessarily  become  deformed. 

I  say  again,  gentlemen,  that  you  are  to  be  congratulated  upon 
entering  the  study  of  medicine  at  this  time,  when  in  your  first  steps 
you  can  place  your  feet  upon  solid  ground,  and  when  in  your 
further  journey  you  are  encouraged  by  the  bright  picture  reflected 
in  the  future.  You  need  not  fear  the  volcano  nor  dread  the  hur- 
ricanes, for  what  has  been  gained  is  imperishable.  Errors  are 
made  now,  and  will  be  made  in  the  future  as  they  have  been  made 
in  the  past,  but  no  new  material  will  be  accepted  as  a  building-stone 
that  has  not  been  thoroughly  tested.  The  structure  which  is  now 
rearing  is  not  like  the  Grecian  temple,  whose  charms  rest  in  its 
finished  beauty,  and  which  admits  of  neither  change  nor  ornamen- 
tation, for  either  would  destroy  its  character;  but  more  like  the 
Gothic  structure,  which  is  never  so  complete  but  that  it  will  admit 
of  additions  and  improvements,  which  neither  mar  its  beauty  nor 
encroach  upon  its  usefulness. 

In  choosing  the  profession  of  medicine  you  not  only  enter  the 
service  of  science,  but  you  devote  yourselves  to  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity. It  demands  both  the  cultivation  of  the  intellect  and  the 
highest  refinement  of  the  soul.  There  is  no  reward  which  you 
should  value  higher  than  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  you  have 
relieved  human  suffering,  that  you  have  averted  death.  Be  bold 
when  duty  calls  you  to  perform  an  heroic  act,  but  not  so  cold  that 
you  can  witness  human  misery  without  feeling  pity.  An  unfeeling 
man  is  not  only  unworthy  of  becoming  a  physician,  but  he  will 
never  find  a  real  satisfaction  in  the  pursuit  of  the  profession.  Pe- 
cuniary reward  will  not  compensate  him  for  the  sacrifice  of  per- 


232  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

sonal  comfort  which  the  practice  of  medicine  requires  to  so  great 
an  extent,  and  in  assuming  the  virtues  which  its  sacred  ministra- 
tions demand  he  will  constantly  be  reminded  of  his  unworthiness. 

The  true  physician  loves  his  profession,  for  he  sees  in  it  the 
consummation  of  the  highest  aims  of  science.  He  is  forced  to 
witness  many  a  sad  scene,  and  suffer  many  a  dreaded  catastrophe, 
but  he  finds  strength  in  the  verdict  of  that  high  tribunal  within 
him  which  tells  him  that  he  has  done  his  duty  well.  And  when 
the  storms  are  over  and  the  clouds  have  disappeared  and  the  bright 
sunshine  of  gladness  again  animates  the  hearts  that  were  heavy 
with  despair,  he  can  enter  in  and  partake  of  the  joys  of  others 
made  happy,  as  is  the  privilege  only  of  the  sympathetic  and  the 
pure. 

Gentlemen,  you  have  entered  upon  a  holy  mission;  God  speed 
you  in  your  undertaking. 


ADDEESS  AT  THE  OPENING  OF  THE  NEW  CITY  HOS- 
PITAL, JANUARY  1,  1890. 

Gentlemen  : 

You  have  been  invited  to  join  us  this  evening  in  commemorating 
an  event  which,  while  it  marks  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  is,  we  imagine,  not  without 
interest  to  the  general  medical  profession.  Indeed,  inasmuch  as 
hospitals  occupy  a  most  prominent  place  among  those  institutions 
which  contribute  to  make  a  city  great,  the  acquisition  of  this  new 
hospital,  constructed  as  it  is  upon  the  most  approved  plans  of 
modem  sanitation,  located  as  it  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city, 
where  a  hospital  is  most  urgently  needed,  and  adding  as  it  does  so 
conspicuously  to  the  architectural  achievements  of  Baltimore,  must 
awaken  a  Just  pride  in  every  one  who  feels  an  interest  in  the  fame 
of  our  fair  city. 

The  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  in  assuming  the  medi- 
cal charge  of  this  institution,  which  will  be  devoted  henceforth  to 
the  cure  of  disease  and  the  alleviation  of  suffering  where  disease 
is  beyond  cure,  feels  that  now,  in  responding  to  the  appeals  of  suffer- 
ing humanity,  it  will  be  in  a  better  position  than  ever  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  modern  advancement  of  our  science. 

And,  although  we  cannot  overestimate  the  blessings  of  a  well- 
equipped  hospital  to  the  sick,  the  suffering,  and  the  maimed,  when 
it  is  devoted  to  the  purposes  of  medical  instruction,  as  this  institu- 
tion will  largely  be,  its  benefits  will  not  be  limited  to  those  who 
have  been  cared  for  within  its  walls,  but  will  extend  far  beyond  its 
confines,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  city,  beyond  the  boundaries  of 
the  State.     Such  a  hospital  may  properly  be  considered  as  a  labora- 


334  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

tory  of  clinical  medicine  and  surgery  where  the  manifestations  of 
disease  and  the  effects  of  remedies  are  to  be  subjected  to  the  most 
approved  methods  of  scientific  investigation.  Here  the  teacher  gets 
his  best  experience,  here  the  student  receives  his  most  useful  lessons. 

Eejoicing  as  we  naturally  must  in  contemplating  the  greatly  im- 
proved clinical  facilities  which  this  Hospital  confers  upon  the  Col- 
lege, we  are  not  at  all  ashamed  to  refer  on  this  occasion  to  what 
the  school  has  accomplished  in  this  respect  in  the  past. 

Beginning  its  career  in  1872  with  no  other  capital  but  a  faculty, 
a  faculty  which  was  determined  to  succeed  and  which  soon  showed 
that  it  was  qualified  for  and  deserving  of  success,  the  college  was 
as  early  as  1874  enabled,  through  the  liberality  of  the  State  of 
Maryland,  to  establish  the  Matemite  Hospital.  That  hospital  not 
only  introduced  a  new  benevolence  into  our  city,  but  furnished  the 
first  opportunity  for  clinical  instruction  in  midwifery  in  Baltimore. 
In  the  latter  respect  it  may  properly  be  claimed  that  it  was  a 
pioneer,  if  not  the  pioneer,  in  this  country.  The  Matemite  has 
been  in  active  operation  ever  since,  and,  when  we  regard  the  pur- 
poses it  was  intended  to  fulfil,  it  is  still  the  leading  institution  of 
its  kind.  The  acquisition  from  the  Washington  University,  in  1878, 
of  the  City  Hospital,  which  henceforth  will  be  spoken  of  as  the 
old  City  Hospital,  opened  a  new  future  for  the  college.  From  that 
time  on  it  has  rested  upon  a  solid  foundation.  We  had  now  a  gen- 
eral hospital,  offering  abundance  of  material  for  clinical  instruc- 
tion; besides  which  we  had  secured  the  alliance  of  the  good  Sisters 
of  Mercy  for  that  part  of  the  work  which  few  could  do  so  well,  and 
none  could  do  better. 

The  building  was  not  a  pretentious  one.  It  had  been  built  for 
a  city  school,  was  eventually  regarded  as  unsuited  for  that  purpose, 
and  was  finally  abandoned.  Truly  we  may  exclaim  with  the 
Psalmist,  "The  stone  which  the  builders  refused  is  become  the 
head  stone  of  the  corner ! "  Yea !  it  has  been  the  cornerstoiie  upon 


Addresses.  235 

which  the  college  has  safely  rested  these  many  years,  and,  although 
it  is  now  supplanted  by  the  grand  hospital  in  which  we  meet  to- 
night, we  shall  ever  hold  its  past  record  in  grateful  remembrance. 
It  has  done  good  work  in  the  past.  Thousands  have  received  a 
friendly  welcome  within  its  walls,  and,  although  it  was  unsuited 
in  many  respects  for  the  purposes  of  a  hospital,  it  has  furnished 
the  opportunity  of  exemplifying  how  much  good  can  be  done  even 
under  unfavorable  circumstances.  In  one  respect  at  least,  however, 
it  has  shown  a  preeminent  suitableness.  It  has  always  been  nearest 
to  most  of  those  unfortunate  ones  who  need  speedy  help.  Placed 
in  the  heart  of  the  city,  where  the  greatest  commercial  and  industrial 
activity  prevails  and  casualties  are  most  common,  it  was  enabled 
to  extend  aid  without  too  much  delay.  Its  claims  in  this  respect 
have  been  generally  acknowledged.  Among  the  many  advantages 
this  new  City  Hospital  will  offer,  is  the  advantage  of  the  location  it 
has  inherited  from  its  predecessor,  and  this  inheritance  will  prove 
no  mean  one,  for  this  alone  will  insure  its  maintenance  for  all  future 
time.  What  the  old  building  lacked  in  the  comforts  which  are  now 
demanded  "of  a  hospital  was  largely  compensated  for  by  the  suc- 
cessful management  and  humane  influence  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy, 
and  by  the  assiduous  and  skillful  attention  of  its  medical  staff. 
We  never  overlooked  its  deficiencies  and  we  directed  our  best  ener- 
gies to  correct  them  at  an  early  date.  There  was  a  great  deal  to 
encourage  us  to  resume  our  work  in  this  direction,  although  we 
had  repeatedly  met  with  failure.  The  need  of  more  room  urgently 
demanded  that  the  hospital  should  be  enlarged  in  some  way.  Our 
faithful  allies,  the  good  sisters,  cheered  us  and  inspired  us  with 
new  hopes  when  the  prospects  seemed  unpromising,  but  what 
encouraged  us  most  was  an  unswerving  faith  that  the  City  Spring 
lot  had  been  providentially  reserved  for  the  noble  object  it  now 
fulfils.  It  had  become  perfectly  useless  for  the  purposes  for  which 
it  was  originally  given  to  the  city.  That  class  of  respectable  citizens 


236  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

who  had  sought  the  shade  of  its  beautiful  trees  and  refreshment 
from  its  limpid  stream  in  days  gone  by  had  long  disappeared.  The 
vagrant  and  the  tramp  had  established  their  dominion  there.  The 
water  from  the  spring  had  become  impure  and  was  condemned. 
The  fountain  that  remained,  playing  as  it  did  from  the  city  water 
supply,  was  a  sham,  and  was  in  this  respect  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  character  which  the  entire  place  had  assumed.  The  place 
had  altogether  lost  its  former  cheerfulness.  Even  the  old  keeper, 
though  willing  to  hold  his  position,  seemed  dissatisfied  with  his  lot. 
Under  these  circumstances  we  hoped  that  the  city  would  be  willing 
to  donate  it  to  the  use  of  a  great  charity.  Several  City  Councils 
approved  of  the  bills  that  were  presented,  but  the  project  was  re- 
peatedly defeated  before  the  mayor  by  an  opposition  which,  un- 
fortunately, came  from  a  direction  that  justified  the  suspicion  that 
it  was  not  inspired  by  the  best  motives.  But  I  shall  say  nothing 
further  of  this.  This  magnificent  hospital  now  stands  upon  that 
long  coveted  lot,  and  "  Charity,'^  'tis  said,  "  covereth  a  multitude  of 
sins." 

By  an  agreement  entered  into  between  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  and 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  the  Hospital  secures  in 
perpetuity  the  gratuitous  services  of  the  faculty  as  its  medical  staff, 
while  the  College  is  granted  in  perpetuity  the  privilege  of  clinical 
instruction  which  it  enjoyed  in  the  old  hospital.  The  advantages 
which  the  College  gains  by  the  opening  of  this  new  Hospital  are  not 
limited  to  the  Hospital  itself.  We  shall  henceforth  find  more  room 
in  the  old  building  for  the  purposes  of  the  College  proper,  and  we 
design  in  the  near  future  to  remodel  the  old  building  so  that  we 
shall  be  amply  supplied  with  physiological,  chemical,  and  pathologi- 
cal laboratories  under  one  roof,  together  with  a  proper  museum  and 
all  other  requisites  demanded  of  a  first-class  medical  college. 

At  the  beginning  of  my  remarks  I  ventured  to  say  that  the 
opening  of  this  hospital  was  not  without  interest  to  the  general 


Addresses.  237 

medical  profession.  The  work  done  in  hospitals  contributes  largely 
to  the  general  advancement  of  our  science,  and  no  medical  man 
with  the  proper  spirit  can  remain  indifferent  to  their  influence. 
Practitioners  of  medicine  who  desire  to  visit  our  clinics  will  meet 
with  a  cordial  welcome. 

Much  as  may  be  said  in  favor  of  the  advantages  which  flow  from 
this  hospital  to  the  College,  and  great  as  may  be  the  interest  of 
the  medical  profession  in  its  successful  operation,  the  consideration 
which  gives  it  its  paramount  importance  is  the  good  which  it  is 
destined  to  accomplish  for  those  seeking  relief  from  disease.  By 
day  and  by  night  its  portals  will  ever  be  open  to  those  who  may 
be  in  need  of  its  benefits.  A  faithful  physician  will  always  be 
found  at  his  post  of  duty  ready  to  extend  medical  aid,  and  a  kind 
Sister  will  never  be  absent  when  her  tender  care  may  be  needed. 
The  disease  which  brings  the  applicant  to  the  hospital  is  the  only 
recommendation  which  he  will  require  for  his  admission.  Neither 
religious  distinctions  nor  race  prejudice  will  ever  find  consideration 
here. 

The  city  of  Baltimore  may  justly  congratulate  itself  upon  the 
acquisition  of  a  hospital  of  this  character,  and  it  owes  a  deep  debt 
of  gratitude  to  our  good  Sisters  of  Mercy.  The  erection  of  a 
building  of  such  magnificent  proportions  as  this  hospital  presents, 
without  any  means  except  those  hoped  for  from  the  charitably 
disposed,  seemed  almost  an  impossibility.  They  dared  to  attempt 
what  seemed  impossible,  and  they  have  been  successful. 

It  was  faith  that  inspired  our  good  sisters  to  choose  a  life  of 
absolute  duty  and  sacrifice,  it  was  faith  that  enabled  them,  when 
necessary,  to  brave  the  dangers  of  the  battlefield  and  the  ravages 
of  pestilence,  and  it  was  faith  in  a  generosity  of  this  community 
which  encouraged  them  to  undertake  this  stupendous  work. 

Although  they  have  the  legal  title  to  this  property,  the  Hospital 
is  a  free  offering  to  Baltimore,  a  sacred  trust  of  which  they  are 


238  Aaeon  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

but  the  faithful  custodians.  They  look  for  no  reward  for  them- 
selves, but  it  is  eminently  proper  that  this  great  work  of  theirs  be 
fitly  appreciated,  and  that  tangible  encouragement  be  freely  ex- 
tended to  them  in  the  future  whenever  needed. 


ADDEESS  DELIVERED  AT  THE  CELEBEATIO^iT  OF  THE 
SEVENTIETH  BIETHDAY  OF  PEOFESSOE  VIECHOW, 
HELD  m  THE  JOHNS  HOPKINS  UNIVEESITY, 
OCTOBEE  13,  1891. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 

Thirty  years  ago  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  a  pupil  of  the 
great  man  whom  we  desire  to  honor  on  this  occasion.  He  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  had  a  record  which  made  him  the 
most  prominent  figure  among  the  eminent  men  of  the  medical 
faculty  of  the  University  of  Berlin.  Most  of  his  associates  of  that 
period  have  long  since  passed  away,  and  all  have  attained  great 
distinction,  but  Virchow  still  remains  the  acknowledged  master. 
Time  has  shown  neither  faltering  in  his  work  nor  waning  in  his 
power.  In  contemplating  the  vast  activity  which  he  has  displayed 
in  the  various  fields  upon  which  he  has  brought  his  giant  intellect 
to  bear,  and  in  computing  the  aggregate  of  what  he  has  accom- 
plished, we  arrive  at  a  result  of  which  the  medical  profession  is 
justly  proud  and  for  which  the  whole  world  must  be  grateful.  It 
is  not  his  work  alone,  however,  nor  the  discoveries  that  he  has  made 
that  challenges  our  admiration,  but  it  is  that  stamp  of  nobility 
which  characterizes  his  remarkable  career  throughout,  from  its 
brilliant  beginning  in  Berlin,  during  the  time  when  his  genius 
shone  resplendently  in  Wiirzburg,  and  all  through  that  long  and  all- 
important  period  since  his  triumphal  return  to  the  Prussian  capital. 
Great  as  he  stands  as  a  scientist,  towering  far  above  all  who  have 
worked  in  the  same  territory,  preeminence  must  be  awarded  him 
for  his  broad  interests  and  brilliant  achievements  in  other  domains. 
Wherever  we  enter  upon  the  study  of  his  work,  and  wherever  our 
thoughts  may  wander  in  estimating  its  full  significance,  we  in- 


240  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

evitably  reach  a  point  whence  we  must  return  to  the  man  himself. 
He  has  not  moulded  with  lifeless  clay,  for  in  his  work  there  breathes 
a  living  soul.  He  has  built  well,  for  what  he  has  built  has  stood 
the  test  of  time,  and  he  has  built  so  that  others  could  build  thereon. 
Besides  the  merit  of  his  own  gigantic  work,  we  cannot  fail  to  take 
into  account,  in  estimating  the  benefit  he  has  been  to  science,  the 
good  work  done  by  others  through  his  inspiration.  Pathology, 
through  his  touch,  received  a  regeneration,  and  what  it  has  become 
since  he  entered  its  field  is  largly  due  to  his  contributions  and  his 
influence.  If  he  had  done  nothing  else,  tiiis  alone  would  entitle 
him  to  be  placed  side  by  side  with  the  greatest  men  of  any  time. 
But  his  genius  required  a  wider  scope.  In  anthropology  he  has 
become  an  acknowledged  authority,  and  he  seems  to  be  as  fully  at 
home  in  the  one  as  in  the  other  great  branch  of  science.  All  the 
expenditure  of  energy  which  these  labors  demanded  did  not  overtax 
our  hero.  He  had  sufficient  force  in  reserve  to  enable  him  to 
acquire  great  distinction  in  quite  a  different  field.  The  speeches 
which  he  made  to  the  workingmen  of  Berlin  in  '48  were  not  the 
emanations  of  a  wild  young  brain.  They  indicated  the  deep  con- 
victions that  governed  the  man  in  his  start  in  life,  and  which  re- 
mained an  inseparable  part  of  him  when  he  reached  high  position 
and  his  genius  had  been  universally  acknowledged.  His  keen  eye, 
which  saw  disease  in  the  human  body  as  it  seldom  was  seen  before, 
did  not  fail  to  detect  what  was  morbid  in  the  body  politic.  The 
clearness  with  which  he  was  able  to  demonstrate  his  classical  autop- 
sies, the  brilliancy  of  his  general  lectures,  the  instructive  lessons 
that  followed  those  microscopes  as  they  moved  along  the  little 
railway  before  his  class,  have  their  analogy  in  the  demonstrative, 
brilliant,  and  instructive  character  which  marks  his  activity  in 
legislative  bodies.  He  has  been  no  inconsiderable  factor  in  that 
movement  which  has  made  Berlin  the  model  municipality.  In  all 
the  great  questions  which  have  occupied  the  German  Parliament  his 


Addresses.  241 

voice  was  heard  and  had  to  be  listened  to.  True  as  he  has  always 
been  to  the  interests  of  the  medical  profession,  devoted  as  he  has 
remained  through  life  to  science  in  general,  he  has  ever  been  equally 
loyal  to  his  convictions.  A  man  like  Virchow  must  at  times  neces- 
sarily be  aggressive.  To  establish  a  fact  often  involves  a  combat 
with  those  who  advocate  an  error,  and  in  showing  up  wrong  the 
wrong-doer  cannot  always  be  spared.  He  never  failed  in  the  moral 
courage  demanded  by  his  duty.  In  the  earliest  part  of  his  career 
as  a  pathologist  he  protested  against  making  pathology  the  "  Rum- 
pelhammer  "  of  medicine,  and  there  was  no  authority  so  great  that 
he  would  leave  it  unchallenged  in  the  statement  of  an  error.  This 
moral  courage  stood  by  him  in  '48,  and  characterized  him  when  he 
had  to  meet  in  intellectual  combat  the  "  man  of  blood  and  iron." 

The  medical  profession  rejoices  in  claiming  such  a  member; 
Germany  can  point  with  pride  to  such  a  son;  the  world  must  feel 
blessed  in  such  a  citizen. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR.  GEORGE  H.  ROHE,  READ  AT  THE 
SPRING  MEETING  OF  THE  MARYLAND  PUBLIC 
HEALTH  ASSOCIATION,  MAY  23,  1901. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 

The  Maryland  Public  Health  Association,  in  devoting  a  part  of 
its  annual  meeting  to  the  presentation  of  a  work  of  art  to  the 
Medical  and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Maryland,  as  a  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  Dr.  George  H.  Rohe,  furnishes  a  fitting  opportunity 
for  the  review  of  the  life  of  one  who,  in  a  remarkable  way,  rose 
to  eminence  in  the  medical  profession;  and  for  the  analysis  of 
those  qualities  of  head  and  heart  which  endeared  him  to  a  host 
of  friends  and  won  for  him  the  esteem  of  the  community. 

The  value  of  a  man  cannot  be  fully  estimated  by  what  he  has 
made  himself  unless  one  considers  out  of  what  he  has  made  him- 
self. It  is  not  at  all  rare  to  find  that  those  who  have  won  dis- 
tinction have  risen  from  obscurity  and  that  their  success  in  life 
has  followed  a  severe  struggle  against  odds.  The  combination  of 
native  talents  and  energy,  under  the  influence  of  an  honorable 
ambition,  is  a  mighty  power  which  is  sure  to  secure  recognition. 
We  often  find,  however,  that  those  who  have  developed  in  this 
way  powers  by  which  they  have  secured  prominence  for  themselves 
often  reveal  a  lack  of  harmony  in  their  intellectual  and  social 
qualities.  In  considering  the  character  of  Dr.  Rohe,  those  who 
knew  him  well  will  at  once  concede  that  his  was  a  symmetrical 
growth;  that  the  moral,  social,  and  intellectual  elements  in  his 
organization  were  equally  vigorous.     .     .     . 

Having  known  him  as  a  lad  and  observed  him  preparing  himself 
for  and  entering  the  medical  profession,  and  having  been  intimately 
associated  with  him  for  many  years  as  a  colleague  in  the  faculty 


Addresses.  243 

of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  and  having  enjoyed  liis 
warm  friendship  uninterruptedly  throughout  this  period  till  the 
time  of  his  death,  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  confine  myself,  in  what 
I  shall  have  to  say  of  him,  to  the  subject  that  has  been  assigned 
to  me  on  this  occasion — his  "  merits  as  a  teacher."  There  are 
those  among  his  many  pupils  upon  whom  this  duty  would  more 
properly  devolve.  Testimony  from  such  source  would  have  the 
advantage  of  coming  at  first  hand,  and  would  give  more  effective 
expression  to  the  thoroughness  with  which  he  did  his  work,  the 
facility  with  which  he  made  clear  to  others  what  he  knew  so  well 
himself,  and  the  congenial  relation  which  existed  between  him  and 
his  pupils,  and  it  would  also  elicit  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
gratitude  due  him  from  them,  than  which  no  worthier  tribute  could 
be  offered  on  this  occasion. 

As  it  is,  I  shall  consider  myself  their  spokesman,  and  will  try, 
as  well  as  I  can,  to  tell  their  story,  as  they  often  communicated  it 
to  me  when  speaking  of  him  as  their  teacher.  It  was  recognized 
as  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  features  of  his  lectures  that  they 
bore  the  evidence  of  .  .  .  careful  and  painstaking  preparation.  This 
showed  that  he  was  thoroughly  in  earnest,  that  he  worked  cheerfully 
himself  and  deemed  his  pupils  worthy  of  his  best  efforts.  The 
effect  of  such  work  in  awakening  interest  is  obvious.  His  earnest- 
ness never  assumed  that  rigidity  of  character  which  is  liable  to 
reflect  a  sombre  coloring.  He  could  be  everything  but  sombre. 
The  kindness  of  the  smile  with  which  he  stepped  into  the  lecture 
hall,  the  unfailing  houtonniere  offering  its  salutation,  his  happy 
faculty  of  illustration,  and  his  keen  sense  of  humor  combined  to 
lend  a  cheerfulness  to  his  lectures  which  made  them  both  interest- 
ing and  attractive.  It  cannot  be  claimed  that  he  was  a  gifted 
speaker,  but  he  was  always  at  his  ease  when  he  spoke,  was  definite 
and  clear  in  his  statements,  and  put  his  hearers  at  their  ease.  His 
irrepressible  fondness  for  fun  enabled  him  to  relish  the  pranks 


244  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

for  which  the  medical  student  is  so  notorious,  and  what  in  this 
respect  would  have  been  an  annoyance  to  others  did  not  disturb 
him  in  the  least.  In  his  intercourse  with  the  students,  his  cordial 
nature  drew  them  close  to  him,  rendered  him  approachable  and 
responsive ;  and  ...  his  bearing  was  ever  characterized  by  a  grace- 
ful and  becoming  dignity.  He  taught  a  number  of  branches  at 
various  times,  .  .  .  shifting  rather  rapidly  from  one  chair  to  an- 
other, and  he  seemed  equally  at  home  in  all  of  them. 

In  pursuing  the  study  of  his  qualities  as  a  teacher,  I  need  not 
draw  further  from  the  testimony  of  his  pupils,  but  can  safely  rely 
upon  what  I  know  of  them  myself.  His  adaptability  to  new 
situations  was  most  remarkable.  His  transfer  from  Dermatology 
and  Hygiene  to  Obstetrics,  and,  a  little  later,  to  Therapeutics  and 
Mental  Diseases,  was  seemingly  effected  without  the  slightest  incon- 
venience to  himself,  and  his  skill  in  dealing  with  these  varied  sub- 
jects was  generally  regarded  as  equal  in  them  all.  While  it  must 
be  conceded  that  he  had  an  extraordinary  facility  in  acquiring 
new  knowledge  rapidly,  which  was  especially  exemplified  in  what 
he  accomplished  in  the  treatment  of  the  insane,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  his  versatile  achievements  must  be  attributed  in  greater 
measure  to  the  extensive  fund  of  knowledge  which  he  had  carefully 
stored  up  and  upon  which  he  could  freely  draw  at  all  times.  We 
are  warranted  m  assuming  this  by  the  character  and  variety  of  his 
contributions  to  medical  science.  His  close  professional  friends 
had  such  a  regard  for  the  completeness  of  his  knowledge  of  many 
subjects  in  medicine  that  they  often  indulged  in  the  pleasantry  of 
inquiriug  of  him  what  was  his  most  recent  specialty.  He  enjoyed 
such  pleasantries  exceedingly.  Soon  after  his  appointment  as 
Superintendent  of  Spring  Grove  Asylum,  he  was  asked  when  he 
expected  to  publish  his  work  on  mental  diseases.  That  work  did 
not  appear,  but  a  work  of  a  more  lasting  character  stands  to  his 
credit  at  Springfield.     This  work  of  his  will,  no  doubt,  go  through 


Addresses.  245 

many  more  editions  than  can  be  expected  for  any  modem  medical 
volume. 

There  is  another  side  from  which  Eohe's  achievements  must  be 
considered  here.  He  was  a  man  of  broad  culture,  had  a  wide 
acquaintance  with  general  science  and  the  most  varied  literature, 
and  he  acquired  a  style  in  his  contributions  which  at  once  sug- 
gested that  he  must  have  had  the  advantages  of  a  thorough  academic 
training. 

Furthermore,  there  must  be  remembered  on  this  occasion  his 
refined  tastes,  his  charm  of  manner,  and  the  graceful  freedom  of 
his  movements,  which  characterized  him  as  a  man  of  the  world, 
and  strongly  suggested  that  he  must  have  been  reared  in  luxury 
and  under  the  tenderest  care.  .  .  .  Probably  what  conduced  most 
powerfully  to  make  him  the  successful  teacher  in  medicine  that 
he  became  was  his  very  early  experience  as  a  teacher,  in  which  he 
continued  for  many,  many  years.  It  was  surely  a  labor  of  love, 
for  through  this  long  period  he  was  the  sole  and  devoted  teacher 
of  himself.  As  a  lad  of  twelve  years,  I  found  him  in  the  office  of 
my  friend,  the  late  Dr.  Augustus  F.  Erich,  performing  the  func- 
tions of  an  office  boy.  He  continued  this  work  during  the  winter 
months,  year  after  year,  while  during  the  summer  he  helped  his 
widowed  mother  to  work  a  small  truck  farm,  located  a  few  miles 
from  this  city.  At  the  early  age  of  twelve  years  he  left  school 
and  received  no  instruction,  save  what  he  gave  himself,  until  he 
entered  the  University  of  Maryland  Medical  School,  in  1870.  Dr. 
Erich  early  made  prediction  that  the  boy  would  make  something 
creditable  of  himself,  for  he  noticed  his  thirst  for  knowledge,  and 
often  found  him  late  at  night  poring  over  his  books.  The  doctor 
kindly  allowed  him  the  use  of  his  library,  and  directed  him,  to 
some  degree,  in  the  selection  of  reading  matter,  which,  no  doubt, 
contributed  greatly  to  his  early  progress.  When  we  consider  the 
rugged  road  over  which  he  had  to  pass  to  reach  his  goal,  and  the 
little  aid  he  received  in  the  hard  work  he  had  undertaken,  we 
17 


346  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

cannot  but  marvel  at  the  success  he  attained.  He  was  one  of  those 
who  recognize  early  in  life  that  they  have  certain  endowments  which 
must  not  be  allowed  to  go  to  waste;  and,  although  the  circumstances 
did  not  seem  propitious,  he  felt  the  moral  obligation  to  work,  to 
work  incessantly,  in  order  to  prove  himself  worthy  of  the  trust 
reposed  in  him.  It  was  this  consciousness  which  stood  him  in 
good  stead  in  his  rather  varied  career.  He  had  so  often  found 
his  capabilities  to  meet  severe  tests  that  he  felt  he  could  confidently 
rely  upon  them. 

There  are  those  who  put  too  low  an  estimate  on  what  they  are 
capable  of  doing,  and  fail  in  life  because  they  start  out  and  pursue 
their  way  so  timidly  that  their  opportunities  are  snatched  from 
them  when  within  their  very  grasp.  There  are  others  whose  con- 
ceit so  magnifies  their  powers  that  they  are  moved  by  temerity  to 
undertake  anything.  They  stumble  at  every  step,  wander  reck- 
lessly, lose  themselves  and  come  to  grief  in  a  thousand  ways.  But 
there  are  also  those  who  have  that  vision  which  enables  them  to 
see  themselves  exactly  as  they  are.  They  have  tested  themselves 
and  found  the  degree  of  strain  they  can  safely  bear;  they  have 
measured  their  talents  and  know  how  far  they  will  reach;  they 
have  gauged  their  capacity  and  Imow  what  they  can  take  in.  These 
usually  reap  the  full  advantage  of  their  powers;  go  through  life 
safely,  steadily  advancing,  and  ultimately  reaching  their  destina- 
tion. 

Of  the  latter  class  Dr.  Eohe  was  an  eminent  example.  He  knew 
the  strength  of  every  fibre  within  him.  He  felt  that  the  ground 
upon  which  he  stood  was  firm ;  and,  when  he  placed  all  his  energies 
in  a  new  venture,  he  was  sure  that  he  had  invested  safely.  Fears 
did  not  haunt,  nor  obstacles  deter  him.  He  assumed  new  positions 
as  if  they  were  but  everyday  affairs;  and,  the  newer  they  were  to 
him,  the  greater  was  the  credit  that  he  gained  in  filling  them.  Such 
was  Eohe,  the  teacher ;  such  was  Eohe,  the  man :  the  teacher  because 
he  was  such  a  man;  the  man  because  he  was  such  a  teacher. 


EESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST,  "  OUE  CANDIDATES  FOE 
GEADUATION,  MAY  THEY  ALL  PASS  A  SUCCESSFUL 
EXAMINATION,"  AT  A  BANQUET  GIVEN  BY  THE 
FACULTY  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND 
SURGEONS,  JANUAEY  1,  1880. 

Gentlemen  : 

I  feel  that  I  can  cheerfully  respond  to  the  sentiment  just  an- 
nounced, for,  judging  from  the  pleasant  countenances  of  the  gen- 
tlemen who  form  the  subject  of  the  toast,  we  need  feel  no  great 
solicitude  with  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  they  will  acquit 
themselves  in  the  approaching  struggle.  During  the  past  week 
business  men  all  over  the  country  have  been  engaged  in  preparing 
accurate  accounts  of  assets  and  liabilities,  so  that  in  comparing 
them  they  might  be  able  to  judge  of  their  prospects  in  the  year 
1880 ;  and,  as  the  one  or  the  other  has  preponderated,  work  will  be 
resumed  either  under  the  encouragement  of  anticipated  success, 
or  under  the  paralyzing  influence  of  impending  failure. 

I  presume  that  during  the  recent  vacation  you  have  been  some- 
what similarly  engaged,  for  the  year  1880  will  be  a  very  eventful 
one  to  you.  You  have  no  doubt  carefully  examined  into  the  char- 
acter of  your  assets,  composed  of  the  knowledge  you  have  acquired, 
and  of  your  liabilities,  consisting  of  the  knowledge  you  will  be  ex- 
pected to  give  evidence  of;  and,  though  you  may  not  be  permitted 
to  exult  over  any  very  great  excess  of  your  assets,  you  are  no  doubt 
able  to  obtain  such  a  satisfactory  report  from  your  balance  sheet 
that  it  will  enable  you  to  resume  your  labor  with  clear  heads  and 
light  hearts.     You  may  be  somewhat  horrified  by  the  long  list  of 


348  Aaron  Triedenwald,  M.  D. 

items  for  which  you  will  have  to  answer  in  the  various  accounts, 
but  the  more  ambitious  among  you  have  probably  been  convinced 
already,  during  the  terrible  ordeal  of  quizzing  to  which  you  have 
been  subjected  for  the  past  three  months,  that  in  the  bright  lexicon 
of  youth  there  is  no  such  word  as  fail;  and  to  those  among  you 
who  are  somewhat  less  sanguine,  I  would  whisper  by  way  of  en- 
couragement thaA  their  creditors  are  not  Shylocks,  but  clever  fel- 
lows who  will  extend  an  honorable  release  for  a  little  less  than  one 
hundred  cents  on  the  dollar. 

There  is  Anatomy  for  example,  usually  pictured  as  a  cold, 
austere,  uncompromising  individual;  you  will  find  him  a  warm- 
hearted, responsive  creditor,  who  will  gladly  accept  your  returns 
of  old  bones,  debris  of  viscera,  the  old  trunks  of  some  [blood] 
vessels,  provided  that  you  know  the  point  from  which  they  sail  and 
the  harbor  which  they  reach,  and  that  you  deliver  them  in  a  pre- 
sentable shape;  and  let  me  tell  you  confidentially  that  that  can  be 
accomplished  by  encasing  them  in  a  plaster  of  Paris  jacket.'' 

Physiology  will  parade  a  long  list  of  questions  concerning  res- 
piration, circulation,  digestion,  assimilation,  nutrition,  reproduc- 
tion, and  so  on;  but  he  is  so  ashamed  of  the  fact  that  there  are 
so  many  questions  in  his  department  which  he  cannot  answer  that 
he  will  call  it  square  if  you  will  simply  tell  how  to  cure  whooping 
cough,  or  in  the  event  that  you  have  not  made  this  discovery, 
acquaint  him  with  the  prophylaxis  of  scarlatina;  every  old  woman 
can  tell  you  that/ 

Surgery  will  disappoint  you  most.  He  will  confront  you  with 
grim  visage,  with  glittering  steel,  and  will  savor  of  blood,  and 
though  you  have  known  him  not  to  give  five  minutes  grace  when 

^  The  Professor  of  Anatomy  also  held  the  chair  of  Orthopedic  Surgery. 
==  Physiology   and   Diseases   of  Children   were   taught  by   the   same 
professor. 


Addresses.  349 

an  obligation  was  due  him  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,*  he  is 
not  what  he  appears  to  be;  he  purposes  to  heal  and  not  to  wound, 
and  when  he  sometimes  premeditates  crueltj'^  it  does  not  hurt  any- 
body, for  he  collapses  under  the  idea  himself. 

The  venerable  form  that  will  appear  to  you  in  the  department  of 
nervous  diseases  and  clinical  medicine  has  so  long  been  engaged 
in  the  discussion  of  historical,  political,  religious,  and  even  scientific 
subjects,  in  which  he  occasionally  takes  one  side  and  then  the  other, 
and  often  both,  that  he  might  forgive  you  if  you  answer  his  ques- 
tions correctly,  but  he  would  decidedly  prefer  for  you  to  prove  to 
him  that  he  was  wrong.  The  style  of  argument  that  you  are  to 
employ  to  accomplish  this  end,  will,  as  you  know,  be  taught  gratis 
every  Sunday  afternoon  in  the  Society  for  Free  Discussions. 

Gynecology  will  lead  you  in  dark  and  tortuous  recesses  where 
dreadful  crimes  are  often  perpetrated,  by  surgeons  of  course,  in 
regard  to  which  you  will  have  to  give  evidence,  and  if  you  fail  to 
describe  accurately  the  dreadful  scenes  ...  it  may  be  a  satis- 
faction for  you  to  know  that  the  mistakes  which  you  may  make  in 
this  department  will  be  just  as  difficult  to  detect  as  those  made  by 
very  great  gynecologists. 

One  thing  of  importance,  gentlemen;  it  will  not  do  to  be  too 
modest,  and  to  show  you  a  good  example  in  this  respect  I  will  speak 
now  of  myself,  before  mentioning  any  more  of  my  colleagues.  I 
shall  not  expect  you  to  know  more  than  I  taught  you ;  in  this  regard 
I  may  be  more  liberal  than  some  gentlemen  whom  I  have  not  men- 
tioned. 

Thus  far  I  have  indicated  to  you  how  to  secure  a  majority  of 
votes,  and  this  is  all  that  is  required.  I  should  be  extremely 
obliged  to  you  after  you  have  passed  the  ordeal,  if  you  furnish  me 

'  His  lecture  hour. 


250  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

with  some  points  in  reference  to  the  faculty  which  I  have  not  men- 
tioned, so  that  I  can  make  some  useful  revelations  to  the  class  that 
is  to  succeed  you. 

In  conclusion,  permit  me  to  wish  you  a  happy  New  Year  and  to 
indulge  the  hope  of  soon  grasping  your  hands  to  congratulate  you 
on  the  most  creditable  results  of  your  examinations. 


EESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST  OF  "THE  FACULTY/'  AT 
THE  BANQUET  OF  THE  ALUMNI  OF  THE  COLLEGE 
OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SUEGEONS,  MAKCH  1,  1883. 

Gentlemen  : 

I  deem  it  a  great  compliment,  after  talking  so  much  to  you 
during  the  past  winter  and  often  feeling  that  I  had  overtaxed  your 
patience,  that  you  signify  willingness  to  have  me  speak  again  on 
this  occasion.  I  must  confess  that  I  am  not  reluctant  to  speak  to 
you  now,  for  I  am  anxious  to  embrace  this  opportunity  to  congratu- 
late you  upon  the  attainment  of  the  honor  which  bestows  upon  you 
fellowship  in  an  honored  profession,  and  to  wish  you  uninter- 
rupted success  in  the  new  career  which  you  now  begin. 

The  struggle  has  ended,  and  many  an  intense  anxiety  has  sub- 
sided, many  an  annoying  fear  has  been  dispelled,  and,  amid  the 
sweet  strains  of  music  and  floral  tributes  from  loving  hands,  and 
the  hearty  plaudits  ...  of  friends,  you  have  been  invested  with  the 
badge  which  admits  you  to  membership  in  a  noble  fraternity.  The 
faculty  which  has  bestowed  upon  you  this  badge  feels  great  pride 
that  it  has  been  enabled  to  reinforce  the  profession  with  such  solid 
material,  not  because  there  has  been  any  very  apparent  scarcity  of 
physicians,  but  because  you  who  now  enter  the  old  ranks  as  new 
men  give  so  much  promise  of  also  becoming  true  men  in  your 
fidelity  to  our  ancient  creed,  embracing  devotion  to  service  and 
duty  to  humanity. 

It  is  one  of  the  greatest  enjoyments  of  this  faculty  to  meet  its 
graduates  around  the  festive  board  at  this  season,  to  witness  their 
Joy,  and  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  their  fresh  enthusiasm.  But  a 
few  days  ago  and  there  were  but  few  among  you  that  would  not 


252  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

have  readily  answered  as  clinical  objects  to  demonstrate  pro- 
nounced anaemia;  your  emaciated  forms  appeared  to  invoke  a  fresh 
supply  of  nourishment,  and  told  the  mournful  tale  of  inexpressible 
waste;  and  your  unstrung  nervous  system  and  your  bleared  eyes 
bore  unmistakable  testimony  to  your  close  companionship  with  the 
midnight  lamp.  But  the  sudden  transfusion  which  this  faculty 
has  practised  upon  you  has  returned  the  bloom  to  your  cheeks,  has 
filled  up  the  hollow  places,  has  extended  buoyancy  to  your  nerves, 
and  made  your  eyes  sparkle  with  delight.  What  a  transformation ! 
And  as  you  carried  off  so  proudly  the  significant  roll  of  sheepskin, 
you  carried  with  you  the  consciousness  that  you  had  done  your  duty 
well,  and  no  doubt  most  of  you  feel  that  you  are  masters  of  the 
situation.  This  is  a  pleasant  illusion,  and  I  would  not  for  the 
world  be  so  cruel  as  to  disturb  it  on  this  occasion.  Your  diploma 
is  very  much  like  the  letter  of  credit  with  which  the  traveller  pro- 
vides himself  before  sailing  on  his  journey ;  he  first  makes  a  deposit 
with  some  banking  firm,  for  which  he  receives  the  certificate 
which  insures  the  freedom  of  his  future  movements.  You  have 
also  made  a  deposit  before  starting  upon  your  journey;  you  have 
deposited  the  evidence  that  you  have  that  mental  fund  which  will 
entitle  you  to  the  proper  recognition  from  the  profession  wherever 
you  will  go,  and  gain  for  you  in  the  community  in  which  you  will 
live  that  respect  to  which  the  skulking  itinerant  quack  can  never 
aspire. 

The  letter  of  credit  that  we  issue  differs  from  that  coming  from 
a  banking  house  in  one  very  important  particular,  in  that  the 
former  is  simply  signed  by  the  collective  name  of  the  firm,  while 
we  sign  our  individual  names.  Well,  this  is  not  amiss,  for  in  study- 
ing the  individual  signatures  you  may  learn  very  important  les- 
sons. There  is  O.'s  signature,  very  little,  straight  up  and  down; 
even  his  O's  have  an  appearance  of  straightness  that  one  oould 
hardly  suppose  a  round  thing  could  be  made  to  assume,  which  he 


Addresses.  253 

no  doubt  intends  should  remind  you  of  the  rectitude  of  character 
which  is  so  indispensable  to  the  true  physician,  and  warn  you  of 
those  crooked  things  to  which  there  are  so  many  temptations. 

Next  follows  the  name  of  Lynch ;  what  an  amount  of  positiveness 
appears  in  that  signature !  Obstinacy,  I  hear  some  one  whisper, 
but  that's  a  villainous  mistake;  I  will  refute  the  calumny;  every- 
one can  read  in  that  signature  that,  no  matter  what  G.  and  the 
whole  world  may  say,  it  is  as  safe  to  give  a  teaspoonful  of 
Veratrum  Viride  as  it  is  to  administer  a  restorative  cordial,  and 
further  that  he  will  allow  no  man  and  no  book  to  dictate  to  him 
the  dose  of  quinine  which  is  requisite  to  constitute  the  abortive 
treatment  of  typhoid  fever.  I  think  I  could  improve  the  relation 
of  the  first  letter  of  his  name  with  the  rest,  but  I  shall  not  say 
anything  about  it,  for  a  man  that  will  not  move  an  "inch"  can 
hardly  be  expected  to  move  an  "  ell." 

L.  signs  next;  what  symmetry  of  letters,  emblematical  of  the 
completeness  of  his  character;  and,  though  all  know  his  fixedness 
of  purpose,  we  find  one  letter  leaning  a  little  one  way,  and  another 
inclining  in  another  direction,  which  means  that  the  true  gentle- 
man, of  whom  he  is  the  type,  will  always  bend  a  little  whenever 
friendship  makes  the  demand  or  courtesy  whispers  its  delicate 
appeal. 

The  next  name  is  a  perfect  photograph  of  E:  it  is  as  broad  as 
it  is  long;  it  looks  a  little  blunt,  but  you  know  he  knows  of  no 
equivocation  or  circumlocution;  what  he  says  he  wants  to  be 
understood,  and  what  he  writes  he  wants  to  be  thoroughly  legible. 
So  it  seems  that  he  always  signs  his  name  with  the  sharp  point  of  a 
sponge  tent,  though  I  don't  want  to  be  understood  as  saying  that 
it  is  only  with  the  sponge  tent  that  he  has  made  his  mark. 

B.'s  signature  would  serve  a  good  purpose  on  the  first  line  of  any 
copy-book;  it  is  a  perfect  piece  of  penmanship.  Whenever  he 
signs  his  name  he  seems  to  be  under  the  inspiration  flowing  from 


254  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  contemplation  of  some  perfect  piece  of  Grecian  statuary;  he 
worships  at  the  shrine  of  beauty;  he  cannot  bear  the  least  asym- 
metry, and  that  is  what  makes  him  such  a  good  orthopedic  surgeon ; 
he  hints  to  you  in  that  signature  to  allow  no  deformity  to  develop, 
.  .  .  and  to  slap  on  the  plaster  jacket  wherever  you  successfully 
can. 

C.  cleverly  reminds  you  of  all  the  anastomosis  which  it  will  be 
necessary  for  you  to  know  in  your  future  surgical  practice.  How 
deftly  are  those  letters  entwined !  The  initial  of  his  middle  name 
will  remind  you  somewhat  of  a  Bridge  of  Sighs,  typifying  his  ex- 
amination, a  painful  eternity,  for  it  is  without  beginning,  without 
end. 

A.  makes  a  dash  here,  a  dash  there,  and  so  his  signature  is 
evolved;  and,  though  he  dashes  fearlessly  in  every  direction,  he 
never  misses  his  mark.  He  reminds  you  not  to  keep  your  minds  in 
one  direction;  to  live  in  medicine  but  not  to  bury  yourselves  in  it; 
to  cultivate  your  mind  with  useful  knowledge  from  every  source. 

G.'s  signature  tells  a  whole  history  of  experiences  of  strange 
hallucinations,  of  fearful  storms  on  the  sea  of  life,  but  there  issues 
from  it  the  triumphant  exclamation,  Kichard  is  himself  again ! 

S.'s  signature  represents  the  condition  of  incomplete  crystal- 
lization; he  can  write  a  great  deal  better  than  he  would  have  it 
appear,  but  he  wishes  to  hint  to  you  that,  though  you  have  all 
passed  brilliant  examinations  in  his  branch,  there  is  still  a 
good  deal  of  chemistry  for  you  to  learn.  His  signature  must  have 
been  seen  by  the  boy  of  whom  it  was  told  that  he  was  caught  doing 
something  wrong,  but  was  accorded  the  privilege  of  choosing  his 
punishment;  he  wanted  it  to  be  like  Italian  penmanship,  the  up- 
strokes heavy,  the  down-strokes  light.  S.'s  up-strokes  have  the 
lightness  of  hydrogen  gas,  his  down-strokes  the  powerful  effect  of 
nitric  acid. 

Neither  of  myself  nor  of  my  si^ature  shall  I  speak  on  this  oc- 


Addresses.  255 

casion,  not  that  I  am  so  modest  that  I  fear  that  nothing  remarkable 
could  be  found  in  either,  but  because  I  am  the  only  fellow  with 
whom  I  have  had  an  intimate  acquaintance,  whom  I  have  not  yet 
found  out.  Indifferent  as  I  may  be  to  know  the  opinion  of  some, 
I  confess,  gentlemen,  that  I  shall  always  feel  proud  to  have  your 
good  opinion,  and  to  live  in  your  kind  remembrance. 


RESPONSE  TO  A  TOAST  AT  THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF 
THE  ALUMNI  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS 
AND  SURGEONS,  MARCH  3,  1884. 

Gentlemen  : 

The  Alumni  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  receive 
to-day  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  new  recruits.  These  are 
strangers  to  those  of  you  who  may  be  looked  upon  as  .  .  .  vet- 
erans. It  is  well  that  you  should  become  better  acquainted  with 
one  another,  and  it  is  perhaps  not  out  of  place  that  one  of  the 
faculty  who  knows  both  parties  should  tell  the  one  who  the  other 
is.  I  will  probably  not  be  charged  with  violating  the  rules  of 
propriety  when  I  give  age  the  precedence,  and  so  I  shall  address 
myself  to  the  older  ones  first.  The  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
to  whom  we  ask  you  to-day  to  extend  the  hand  of  fellowship  have 
given  every  evidence  in  the  examinations  which  they  have  just  fin- 
ished that  they  are  made  of  the  proper  stuff.  They  have  exhibited 
such  earnestness  of  purpose  and  such  unwavering  diligence  during 
the  whole  course  of  their  work  that  we  are  warranted  in  the  pre- 
diction that  they  will  continue  to  reflect  credit  upon  their  Alma 
Mater  in  the  future.  That  they  are  "  honorable  men,"  and  that 
they  have  "  well-equipped  themselves  for  the  duties  of  the  profes- 
sion "  in  which  they  shall  soon  enroll  themselves  as  members,  the 
diploma  which  will  be  bestowed  upon  them  to-morrow  will  serve  as 
an  ample  credential.  But  this  is  perhaps  not  all  that  you  want 
to  know  about  them,  satisfactory  as  this  information  must  be. 
You  would  like,  no  doubt,  also  to  know  what  else  they  have  learned, 
or  rather  what  they  have  not  forgotten,  and  let  me  say  here  that 
the  traditions  that  you  have  bequeathed  to  them  have  been  pre- 


Addresses.  257 

served  with  sacred  care.  The  same  scenes  were  exhibited  between 
the  acts  as  in  days  of  yore.  The  same  music  resounded  in  the  halls 
between  the  lectures  as  in  those  days  when  you  were  the  chor- 
isters, sung,  perhaps,  with  a  little  more  fervor,  and  with  a  stray 
peanut,  now  and  then,  indicating  a  higher  "  pitch."  If  you  could 
have  stood  with  us  in  the  circle  and  gazed  upon  the  scene  in  the 
very  first  row,  you  would  have  been  convinced  that  others  could 
suffer  a  leg  being  out  of  place  as  well  as  you  did  in  times  gone 
by.  The  only  accidents  which  were  not  so  readily  repaired 
and  were  a  little  more  serious  in  their  character,  were  quite  a 
number  of  fractures  of  legs,  of  course  I  mean  the  legs  of  chairs. 
As  with  you,  this  violent  spirit  was  indulged  in  only  by  nobody, 
and  only  in  this  way  was  it  discovered  that  there  were  nobodies  in 
the  class.  We  have  continued  to  notice  about  the  same  propor- 
tion who  would  apparently  go  to  sleep  regularly  during  the  lectures, 
and,  as  before,  we  were  forced  by  the  examinations  which  they 
passed  to  the  conclusion  that  they  must  have  slept  with  one  ear 
open.  To  maintain  full  aflBliation  with  former  classes  they  have 
apparently  been  highly  delighted  with  many  a  bad  joke,  and  as 
mercilessly  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  many  a  good  one.  About  the 
same  number  have  told  me  in  confidence  about  a  certain  joke  of  a 
certain  professor  (the  only  one  he  has),  that  they  heard  it  once  be- 
fore, probably  to  attract  my  attention  to  their  memory.  I  hope  I 
am  not  perpetrating  a  breach  of  confidence  when  I  tell  you  that 
the  various  members  of  the  faculty  would  willingly  forgive  every 
member  of  the  class  if  he  forgot  the  jokes  which  he  heard  in  the 
previous  session. 

And  now  a  word  to  those  that  are  initiated  as  new  members  on 
this  occasion.  In  telling  the  older  alumni  how  much  you  have 
been  like  them  I  have  simultaneously  told  you  how  much  they  were 
like  you  during  their  college  career.  I  have  to  add  what  they  have 
been  since.     They  have  illustrated  by  their  success  in  the  profes- 


258  Aaeon  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

sion  that  when  good  seed  is  planted  in  proper  soil  wholesome  fruit 
will  plenteously  follow.  There  are  many  among  them  of  whom  we 
are  proud;  there  are  none  among  them  of  whom  we  need  be 
ashamed.  They  have  all,  no  doubt,  made  mistakes,  and  profited 
by  them.  You  will,  no  doubt,  make  some  mistakes;  and,  if  you 
could  compare  them  with  the  mistakes  that  they  have  made,  you 
would  immediately  detect  the  blood  relationship  by  the  great  like- 
ness which  they  bear  to  each  other.  There  is  one  mistake  I  warn 
you  all  not  to  make,  and  that  is  to  remain  single.  We  have  one 
bachelor  in  the  faculty  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  serving  as  a 
warning  example.     .     .     . 


ADDEESS  DELIVEKED  AT  THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF 
THE  ALUMNI  ASSOCIATION  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF 
PHYSICIANS  AND  SUEGEONS,  MAECH  12,  1885. 

Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Alumni  Association: 
It  is  very  pleasant  indeed,  after  the  hard  work  which  the  session 
just  ended  has  entailed  upon  us,  and  the  earnest  times  which 
marked  its  termination,  to  meet  together  and  to  rejoice  together 
in  the  continued  prosperity  of  your  Alma  Mater.  It  is  pleasant  to 
behold  the  veterans  and  the  new  recruits  joining  hands  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  institution  to  which  they  owe  their  professional  lives. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  old  soldiers  who  have  been  in  the  fight 
have  glad  tidings  to  bring  to  the  young  companions  to  whom  they 
are  now  extending  for  the  first  time  the  hand  of  fellowship,  and 
that  their  example  of  affection  and  constancy  and  devotion  to  duty 
may  be  felt  and  be  appreciated,  and  inspire  those  who  are  putting 
on  the  armor  and  preparing  for  the  battle  for  the  first  time.  This 
is  not  the  time  to  give  advice  nor  to  preach  sermons,  for  you  are 
all,  no  doubt,  brimful  of  good  resolutions  to  remain  good  men,  to 
become  reputable  physicians,  and  always  to  remember  kindly  your 
Alma  Mater.  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  have  all  provided  your- 
selves with  the  picture  of  the  faculty,  to  be  doubly  sure  that  your 
affections  will  not  be  estranged  from  them  in  your  journey  through 
life.  It  is  a  very  good  idea.  It  is  a  great  pity  that  the  picture  is 
not  nearly  so  good.  I  have  the  group  hanging  in  my  office ;  I  must 
confess  the  only  thing  which  I  admire  about  it  is  the  good  com- 
pany in  which  I  find  myself.  Professor  0.,  who  is  a  great  art  critic, 
looke'd  at  it  the  other  day  when  he  honored  me  with  a  visit,  and 
wanted  to  know  whether  it  was  a  rogues'  gallery.     I  pointed  to  the 


260  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

tallest  figure,  which  looked  more  like  him  than  anybody  that  I 
know,  and  said,  "  This  is  the  biggest  one  " ;  I  alluded,  of  course, 
to  the  size.  After  all,  photographs  don't  serve  the  purpose  ex- 
actly. Even  if  you  were  provided  with  the  very  best  and  you 
came  back  after  some  years,  you  might  not  even  recognize  those 
whom  they  represented.  I  think  we  can  learn  something  from  the 
Chinese  and  Japanese.  You  are,  no  doubt,  all  aware  that  they 
have  an  entirely  different  notion  of  art  from  ours.  We  attempt 
to  paint  the  thing  as  it  is  or  was;  they  place  upon  the  canvas  some- 
thing that  suggests  the  thing,  person,  or  idea  which  they  wish  to 
show.  They  have  objects  which,  placed  in  the  proper  way,  repre- 
sent joy,  or  grief,  or  battle,  or  victory,  and  so  forth ;  a  crow,  a  cock 
perched  upon  a  drum,  and  a  dragon,  are  examples  of  these  objects. 
I  propose  to  prepare  a  picture  of  this  kind  for  you,  with  your  per- 
mission; and  I  find  it  no  very  great  task,  for  the  surgeon's  arma- 
mentarium contains  all  that  is  needed. 

Who  could  ever  forget  Professor  0.  with  the  aspirating  needle 
before  him?  A  long,  thin  thing,  through  which  large  accumula- 
tions can  be  evacuated  with  great  facility,  through  comparatively 
small  openings. 

Professor  L.,  the  ecraseur, — who  will  not  immediately  recognize 
the  likeness  ?  With  the  ecraseur  we  can  secure  a  firm  hold  on  things, 
but  when  we  keep  on  screwing,  as  Dr.  L.  keeps  on  increasing  the 
dose  of  his  remedies,  the  thing  drops  off. 

Dr.  L.^  will  be  represented  by  the  single  blade  of  the  obstetric 
forceps;  there  is  a  great  deal  of  metal  in  it,  and  it  is  highly  pol- 
ished ;  how  complete  would  it  be  with  the  other  blade ! 

In  the  sponge  tent  we  find  a  perfect  fac-simile  of  Professor  E. ; 
you  can  compress  it  as  you  will,  and,  pushed  in  the  smallest  crev- 
ices, in  the  most  obscure  recesses,  it  will  make  room  for  itself  and 

^  A  bachelor. 


'v  that  I 
'  course. 


examples  of  these  objects. 


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o 


Addresses,  261 

come  to  life,  and  finally  you  will  hardly  find  a  place  roomy  enough 
for  it. 

Professor  B.  will  be  represented  in  the  group  which  I  draw  for 
you  by  the  mallet  and  chisel,  instruments  which,  in  the  hands  of 
the  sculptor,  preserve  the  type  of  symmetry  in  the  human  body, 
and  which  will  always  serve  as  a  reference  to  Professor  B.'s  ortho- 
paedic skill ;  and,  although  he  is  neither  a  sculptor  nor  a  mason,  you 
have  recently  had  evidence  how  well  he  can  cut  out  a  stone  and  cut 
for  stone. 

Professor  C.  gives  me  the  least  trouble;  he  is  a  sort  of  natural 
negative;  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  print  the  picture.  I  have  done 
so,  and  what  do  you  think  I  obtained?  A  saw.  The  saw  is  an 
instrument  which  goes  backward  and  forward,  backward  and  for- 
ward, upward  and  downward,  upward  and  downward,  and  if  you 
don't  watch  it  closely  you  won't  know  where  it  is,  but  it  gets 
through  with  its  work  well  and  in  due  time.  I  don't  like  to  tell 
tales  out  of  school,  but  if  you  promise  not  to  tell  anyone  else  I  will 
confide  a  secret  to  you.  In  Faculty  meetings  it  is  often  extremely 
important  to  have  his  counsel  and  his  vote,  and  we  often  have  to 
send  out  exploring  expeditions  after  him,  which  sometimes  find 
him  in  the  wards  of  the  Hospital,  or  in  the  Museum,  at  times  in 
the  dispensary,  and  again  back  in  the  kitchen,  all  this  at  the  same 
meeting. 

Professor  A.  is  a  double-edged  catlin ;  it  requires  very  little  push- 
ing to  bring  it  forward,  and  on  whatever  side  it  is  used  it  makes 
way  for  itself. 

The  well-soaked  sponge  will  always  remind  you  of  Professor  G. ; 
press  where  you  will,  you  will  always  find  there  is  something  in  it. 

I  shall  leave  an  empty  space  in  which  you  will  have  to  look  for 

Professor  S.;  there  is  nothing  there;  as  there  is  nothing  in  the 

arn^amentarium  to  stand  in  his  stead,  for  there  is  nobody  who  can 

teach  medical  students  as  much  chemistry  as  he  can. 
18 


362  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Professor  R,  I  shall  represent  by  the  trephine,  the  brush,  and 
the  lever ;  in  all  his  literary  work  he  goes  below  the  surface,  but  he 
doesn't  do  it  by  boring ;  he  brushes  away  the  debris,  and  with  the 
lever  brings  hidden  things  to  view,  so  that  all  can  see  them.  I  am 
sorry  that  I  had  to  retain  the  brush,  which  is  inseparable  from 
the  group,  for  it  has  much  too  much  hair  on  it  to  look  anything 
like  R. 

There  is  one  in  the  faculty  I  have  almost  forgotten;  I  should 
be  extremely  sorry  if  you  ever  will.  I  think  he  can  be  best  pictured 
by  the  surgical  needle,  a  small  insignificant  thing,  hardly  to  be 
noticed  among  the  other  more  pretentious  instruments  .  .  . 
No  doubt  all  of  you  still  remember  that  when  you  were  not  v€ry 
careful  in  approaching  the  eye  you  were  very  apt  to  be  stuck. 

Accept  this  picture  with  my  kindest  regards;  take  it  with  you, 
hang  it  in  your  offices,  and  look  at  it  occasionally ;  and  I  feel  sure 
when  you  come  back  to  us  in  after  years,  if  we  are  here  at  all,  you 
will  find  us  less  altered  than  the  photographs  would  indicate. 


EESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST,  "  THE  FINAL  EXAMINA- 
TION; EXAMINE  ME  ON  THE  PAETICULAES  OF 
MY  KNOWLEDGE,"  AT  THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF 
THE  ALUMNI  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS 
AND  SUKGEONS,  MAECH  15,  1887/ 

Gentlemen  : 

The  toast  just  announced  proposes  two  very  broad  subjects  for 
what  must  necessarily  be  one  very  short  speech,  "  The  final  ex- 
amination," and  "  Examine  me  on  the  particulars  of  my  knowl- 
edge." I  am  sure,  gentlemen,  that  you  who  have  just  passed  the 
ordeal  will  agree  with  me  that,  even  with  most  judicious  economy 
of  words,  the  final  examination  is  a  subject  so  suggestive  as  fully 
to  occupy  the  time  that  this  occasion  would  well  allow,  even  if 
treated  in  a  most  general  way.  Therefore  the  task  imposed  upon 
me,  to  add  anything  that  refers  to  particulars,  particularly  to  the 
particulars  of  my  knowledge,  would  require  of  me  a  skill  in  verbal 
financiering  which  I  certainly  cannot  claim  to  possess. 

The  final  examination  is  an  epidemic  which  appears  regularly 
once  a  year,  about  the  same  season,  lasting  about  the  same  time, 
and  assailing  young  men  of  a  certain  class.  It  is  always  antici- 
pated with  an  anxiety  out  of  all  proportion  to  its  comparatively 
low  rate  of  mortality.  The  attack  to  which  the  unfortunate  in- 
dividual is  subjected  is  preceded  by  a  distinct  premonitory  stage, 
lasting  usually  a  few  weeks,  marked  by  insomnia,  emaciation, 
anaemia,  and  impairment  of  mental  vigor.  In  this  condition  the 
sufferer  usually  appeals  to  his  physician,  the  quiz-master,  for  re- 
lief.    He  advises  him  to  partake  liberally  of  mental  food,  and 

^  At  that  date  oral  examinations  were  still  in  vogue,  the  student 
meeting  a  different  instructor  each  day. 


264  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

prescribes  for  him  a  bounteous  supply  of  well-prepared  text-books, 
to  which  he  adds  an  endless  number  of  instructions  to  secure  their 
thorough  digestion.  But,  lo,  the  appetite  will  not  respond.  He 
next  tempts  him  with  little  dainties  of  well-seasoned  compends 
which  may  be  relished  for  a  short  time,  but  generally  soon  become 
nauseating,  and  then  superinduce  ineffectual  deglutition.  The 
poor  patient  at  this  juncture  is  much  dismayed,  but  his  doctor  has 
not  exhausted  his  resources;  he  brings  forth  the  stomach  tube, 
thrusts  it  through  his  rebellious  esophagus,  and  pours  in  his  con- 
centrated broth  until  he  can  pour  in  no  more.  Now  the  patient 
cries  out  imploringly,  "  Hold  up,  for  I  am  sure  to  burst,"  but  the 
doctor  smiles  complacently,  and  replies,  "  Fear  not,  for  you  are  well 
crammed."  Now  the  febrile  attack  is  ushered  in;  it  is  of  the 
quotidian  type,  repeats  itself  daily  with  great  regularity,  varying 
in  its  intensity  somewhat  on  different  days,  having  a  cold,  a  hot, 
and  a  sweating  stage.  From  this  time  on  the  doctor  sinks  into 
oblivion,  and  a  professor  steps  into  the  foreground,  each  day 
another.  They  treat  the  patient  as  if  he  had  swallowed  something 
belonging  to  them  which  they  wanted  to  get  out  of  him  again 
at  all  hazards.  They  press  him  hard  on  all  sides,  they  pump  him 
most  unmercifully,  and  they  call  the  process  an  examination. 
Except  for  the  legal  significance  of  the  term,  it  might  better  be 
styled  a  cross-examination  which,  with  its  multiplicity  of  demur- 
rers and  rebuttals,  is  deserving  of  the  title  of  an  "  Inquisition." 
These  inquisitors  get  out  of  many  of  their  victims  all  they  seek; 
more  is  the  wonder,  when  we  consider  how  awkwardly  they 
go  about  it.  Out  of  many  they  obtain  but  a  fair  quantity, 
and  here  it  must  be  said  to  their  credit  that  they  are  always  wil- 
ling to  accept  a  reasonable  compromise.  In  isolated  cases  they 
find  nothing,  even  after  the  most  persistent  search.  This  phe- 
nomenon has  been  variously  explained,  some  claiming  there  was 
nothing  to  find,  while  others  believe  that  the  indiscriminate  ham- 


Addresses.  265 

mering  that  was  done  has  sometimes  accidently  closed  up  the  bung 
hole.  Woe  to  him  who  will  some  day  have  to  answer  for  the 
many  answers  that  have  thus  been  suppressed ! 

I  have  not  consulted  the  toast-master  as  to  whom  he  means  in 
the  annex  to  the  toast,  "Examine  me  on  the  particulars  of  my 
knowledge ; "  certainly  not  the  recent  graduate,  for  he  would  in- 
dignantly reject  the  honor  in  the  language  of  Falstaff,  "  No  more 
examinations  for  me,  I  have  my  belly  full  of  them."  I  take  it  for 
granted  that  he  must  mean  the  individual  members  of  the  faculty 
who  have  been  kept  so  busy  during  the  session  dispensing  their 
general  knowledge  that  they  could  not  find  time  to  reveal  their 
particular  knowledge. 

I  will,  therefore,  take  the  liberty  to  ask  Professor  0.  in  behalf 
of  the  toast-master,  for  the  benefit  of  the  recent  graduate,  how  to 
steer  safely  between  conflicting  influences  of  obstetrics  and  gyne- 
colog}',  the  former  teaching  as  it  does  to  let  the  uterus  have  its 
own  way  and  its  own  time  to  get  rid  of  things,  and  the  latter  seem- 
ingly holding  out  at  all  times  the  temptation  to  get  out  of  it  all 
one  can. 

I  would  ask  Professor  L.,  who  has  discovered  the  real  kinship  of 
the  white  and  red  corpuscles,  which,  according  to  him,  stand  to 
each  other  as  progenitor  and  offspring,^  whether  the  recently  dis- 
covered placque,  which  we  all  must  acknowledge  is  a  blood  rela- 
tion, is  to  be  regarded  as  a  grandparent  or  a  grandchild. 

I  would  ask  Professor  L.  to  forget  for  a  moment  his  weakness 
for  full  and  late  suppers  and  to  designate  what  would  be  a  minimum 
of  cheap  nourishment  that  would  answer  the  purpose  of  an  ab- 
dominal support, — of  course  I  don't  mean  an  abdomen  of  the  di- 
mensions of  his  own.  It  might  be  useful  to  the  young  practitioner 
in  his  early  experience,  in  enabling  him  to  avoid  the  unpleasant- 
ness of  too  frequently  recurring  fast-days. 

'  A  pet  theory  of  his. 


266  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Of  Professor  B.  I  would  ask,  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  stu- 
dent who  is  led  into  the  dangerous  currents  of  anatomy,  in  which 
he  cannot  find  his  way,  in  which  he  has  either  stranded,  been 
totally  shipwrecked,  or  formed  a  sort  of  embolus,  whether  there  is 
no  more  pleasant  way  out  of  the  difficulty  than  to  be  extricated 
readily  and  easily,'  or  easily  and  readily,  after  first  being  crushed 
into  fragments,  however,  by  a  species  of  lithotrity. 

Professor  C.  is  noted  for  demanding  very  prompt  answers  in 
anything  relating  to  emergencies.  No  student  will  fail  when  he 
asks  "What  would  you  do,  if  .  .  .  ,"  to  reply,  before  he  has 
finished  the  sentence,  "  Stop  the  hemorrhage,  sir."  I  now  ask 
him  if  a  man  is  blown  up  in  the  air,  whether  it  is  justifiable  to 
wait  till  he  comes  down,  or  whether  he  would  suggest  something 
to  do  in  the  meantime. 

Of  Professor  A.  I  would  ask,  for  the  benefit  of  some  of  my  col- 
leagues, the  recipe  for  the  soothing  syrup  which  he  administers 
to  the  students  in  his  examinations,  which  enables  them  to  main- 
tain such  perfect  composure  amid  scenes  made  horrible  by  insen- 
sibility, hyperaesthesia,  spasms,  convulsions,  incoordination,  paraly- 
sis, collapse,  and  coma. 

Of  Professor  G.,  to  whom  I  am  sure  we  are  greatly  indebted  for 
the  information  regarding  many  remarkable  things  and  concerning 
men  of  all  times  with  which  he  so  successfully  illustrates  his  in- 
structions, I  would  ask,  if  he  has  anything  remarkable  to  relate 
about  anybody  this  evening,  to  restrict  himself, — I  don't  like  to 
ask  impossibilities,  and  therefore  I  won't  say  to  some  person  pres- 
ent, but,  in  deference  to  our  national  pride,  I  would  ask  him  not 
to  carry  us  to  some  foreign  clime,  for  we  are  beginning  to  think 
that  this  is  a  big  country  too,  at  least  too  large  to  be  entirely 
ignored. 

*  A  characteristic  mannerism  of  the  professor  in  question. 


Addresses.  267 

I  do  not  want  to  slight  Professor  S.,  but  I  have  an  aversion  to  a 
chemical  cauldron;  it  always  savors  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen, 
which,  as  it  is,  we  have  to  succumb  to  frequently  enough  from 
other  sources ;  but  if  he  has  any  secrets  to  communicate  I  willingly 
extend  to  him  carte  blanche. 

My  last  question  is  to  Professor  K.  He  has  a  good  head  on  him ; 
it  is  as  replete  within  as  it  is  barren  without.  I  cannot  look  upon 
its  summit  without  being  reminded  of  the  goal  of  the  Arctic  ex- 
plorer, the  open  sea  at  the  North  pole.  I  would  ask  him  why  he 
don't  get  married.  You  may  be  surprised  that  I  did  not  ask  him 
a  question  of  a  more  scientific  character;  my  reason  is  that  there 
is  no  question  so  simple  but  that  he  can  give  it  scientific  significance. 

In  conclusion,  gentlemen  of  the  graduating  class,  permit  me  to 
assure  you  of  my  good  wishes,  and  to  express  the  hope  that  in  those 
self-examinations  to  which  you  will  all  have  to  subject  yourselves, 
you  will  be  able  to  answer  unhesitatingly,  "  I  have  led  a  pure  life 
and  I  have  remained  an  honest  man,"  and  that  a  diploma  bearing 
these  words  will  secure  the  proper  endorsement  after  the  grand 
final  examination  which  will  take  place  in  a  better  world. 


EESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST  OF  "  THE  SPECIALIST  "  AT 
THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF  THE  ALUMNI  OF  THE 
COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS,  MARCH 
15,  1888. 

The  specialist,  although  he  has  settled  among  us  for  some  time, 
is  still  looked  upon  as  a  newcomer ;  and  the  talk  about  him,  as  to 
what  he  is  and  what  he  pretends  to  be,  still  continues.  He  cer- 
tainly has  added  a  new  army  corps  to  our  professional  forces. 
How  came  he  so  rapidly  from  the  rear  to  the  van?  Has  he  mer- 
ited the  advancement  which  he  has  attained?  Has  he  fulfilled  the 
promises  with  which  he  has  been  so  lavish?  These  questions  are 
all  answered  very  satisfactorily  if  the  answer  is  left  to  himself. 
I  should  not  always  like  to  answer  for  him.  He  considers  him- 
self a  species  of  a  higher  development,  destined  to  survive,  and 
looks  pityingly  upon  the  general  practitioner  as  a  subject  for  the 
study  of  the  paleontologist  of  the  future.  He  is  a  creature  of  one 
specialty  but  many  peculiarities,  of  which  I  would  mention  the 
peculiarity  of  his  mental  organization. 

In  the  storehouse  of  his  knowledge  there  is  but  one  pigeon-hole 
occupied.  In  some  instances  this  has  always  been  so,  the  house 
simply  being  too  large  for  the  owner  from  the  beginning;  in  other 
cases  the  empty  apartments  had  at  one  time  been  occupied,  but  the 
tenants  were  evicted  because  they  did  not  pay  any  rent.  He  has 
proved  himself  a  very  prolific  being,  however,  and  has  brought  up 
a  remarkably  large  family.  This  is  specially  remarkable  when  we 
take  into  consideration  the  short  time  that  he  has  been  in  the 
business,  and  when  we  allow  for  those  of  his  offspring  that  were 
still-born,  and  for  the  miscarriages  that  happened  in  his  family. 


•   "■      Addresses.  269 

Tlie  ophthalmologist  is  his  first-born  and  he  is  proud  of  his 
birthright,  although  he  has  exhibited  a  great  fondness  for  his  mess 
of  pottage  too.  If  there  is  anything  bad  to  say  about  him  I  shall 
not  do  it,  for  he  deserves  much  sympathy  for  the  struggles  that 
he  had  to  go  through  in  the  beginning.  He  had  at  first  to  lead  a 
romantic  life,  doing  his  work  by  the  wayside  as  best  he  could, 
nowhere  finding  a  sufficiently  firm  footing  to  place  himself  perma- 
nently. The  disadvantage  under  which  he  labored  was  that  he 
had  no  scope,  but  a  better  day  at  last  dawned  for  him  and  an 
angel  in  the  form  of  Helmholtz,  the  great  German  physiologist  and 
physicist,  appeared  to  him  and  placed  one  in  his  hand.  Since  then 
he  has  been  enabled  to  reveal  a  whole  new  world,  and  now  every- 
body is  willing  to  do  him  homage. 

The  next  one  added  to  the  family  was  the  laryngologist.  He  was 
a  lucky  fellow  from  the  start.  He  was,  so  to  say,  born  holding  a 
silver  spoon  in  somebody  else's  mouth.  He  did  not  have  to  grope 
his  way  long  in  the  dark;  he  received  inspiration  from  his  elder 
brother  to  discover  that  light  which  permitted  him  to  explore  re- 
gions which  had  never  been  beheld  before.  All  honor  is  due  him, 
for  he  has  given  speech  to  the  dumb,  and  breath  to  expiring  life. 

The  gynecologist  was  born  all  at  once;  there  were  no  throes  of 
labor  to  go  through  with,  and,  to  show  consistency,  he  did  not  even 
wait  for  the  christening,  but  made  a  name  for  himself.  He  is 
entitled  to  our  full  respect,  for,  besides  all  the  good  that  he  has 
done  for  suffering  woman,  and  all  the  good  that  he  has  done  for 
himself — and  that  has  not  always  been  little — he  has  the  credit  for 
opening  the  way  for  the  possibilities  of  the  abdominal  surgery  of 
our  day.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  there  are  some  specimens  of 
this  species  who  disgrace  the  family  name.  They  are  to  be  likened 
to  the  bacteria  which  are  known  by  the  stains  which  they  bear. 
Lei  us  hope  that  they  are  not  as  numerous  as  is  sometimes  whis- 
pered. 


270  Aaeon"  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

The  neurologist  next  deserves  conspicuous  honor.  What  a  task 
he  has  undertaken !  What  an  intricate  instrument  has  he  not  at- 
tempted to  master,  a  harp  with  a  thousand  strings !  How  learn- 
edly he  speaks,  when  we  ask  what  the  disease  is,  and  where  the 
disease  is ;  and  how  silent  he  is,  unfortunately,  when  we  ask  where 
the  remedy  is !  He  is  entitled  to  lasting  gratitude,  however,  for, 
besides  the  great  discoveries  which  are  the  guides  for  himself,  he 
has  furnished  a  map  for  cerebral  surgery,  the  acquisition  of  which 
domain  ranks  deservedly  as  one  of  the  greatest  achievements  of  our 
time.  Let  us  hope  that  he  may  soon  receive  a  new  revelation  for 
the  improvement  of  his  therapeutics,  so  that  he  will  either  be  en- 
abled to  throw  aside  altogether  those  electrical  playthings  with  which 
he  has  been  so  much  employed  or  be  permitted  to  make  more  prac- 
tical use  of  them.  In  the  meantime  we  owe  him  many  thanks,  for 
he  has  been  a  splendid  summer  and  winter  resort  to  send  our  hys- 
terical women  to  when  we  had  to  rid  ourselves  of  them  for  a  while. 

And  now  a  word  in  regard  to  the  genito-urinary  surgeon.  I  do 
not  know  what  to  admire  most  in  him,  the  skill  with  which  he 
gets  things  out  of  the  bladder,  or  the  readiness  vidth  which  he 
thrusts  things  into  the  bladder.  After  witnessing  him  passing  a 
sound  of  the  size  of  a  crow-bar  through  the  urethra,  I  am  now 
prepared  to  see  him  extract  a  stone  through  the  same  channel  by 
means  of  the  obstetric  forceps.  He  has  had  a  hard  lot  assigned  to 
him,  that  of  a  "hewer  of  stone"  and  a  "drawer  of  water."  Let 
us  therefore  forgive  him  for  the  innocent  blood  he  has  often  shed 
in  cutting  strictures  that  never  existed. 

I  shall  not  apologize  to  the  rectal  surgeon  for  having  deferred 
my  respects  to  him  to  this  period  of  my  remarks;  for  he  is  rather 
used  to  being  brought  in  at  the  end  of  things.  He  is  the 
youngest  in  the  family  and,  under  the  circumstances,  bright,  cheer- 
ful, and  happy.  He  has  not  been  without  his  mishaps.  He  was 
born  a  mistake.     He  had  made  up  his  mind  to  be  born  a  gynecolo- 


Addresses.  271 

gist,  but  the  field  was  occupied;  and  in  looking  around  for  an 
opening  he  found  one  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  And  now- 
let  me  take  my  leave  of  this  happy  family. 

Before  doing  this,  however,  permit  me  to  say  to  the  young  gradu- 
ate here  present  who  may  desire  to  become  a  specialist,  to  be  a 
physician  first,  and  to  remain  a  physician  throughout  his  career 
in  addition  to  being  a  specialist,  in  clinging  to  the  mission  which 
is  the  basis  of  our  profession.  Gather  new  knowledge  wherever 
you  can,  but  never  abandon  oifr  ancient  creed.  Avoid  the  company 
of  those  specialists  who  avow  a  professional  agnosticism,  and  preach 
an  ethical  culture  of  their  own. 


RESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST  OF  "  THE  CAP  AND  GOWN  " 
AT  THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF  THE  ALUMNI  OF 
THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SUEGEONS, 
1891. 

Gentlemen  : 

It  is  a  bad  thing  for  a  man  to  be  too  good  natured.  I  don't 
claim  to  be  the  first  one  to  have  made  this  discovery,  but  I  never 
realized  so  thoroughly  the  truth  of  this  aphorism  till  I  had  given 
my  assent  to  respond  to  the  toast  you  have  just  heard.  "  The  Cap 
and  Gown ! "  "  What  in  the  world  can  a  man  say  on  such  a 
subject  that  is  sensible  ? "  is  the  question  that  confronts  me  and 
fills  me  with  horror;  and  I  should  be  reasonably  consoled  could  I 
assure  myself  that  I  might  say  something  that  was  decently  non- 
sensical. The  only  cheering  thought  that  I  can  find  is  that,  on 
an  occasion  like  this,  one  is  not  expected  to  be  in  a  frame  of  mind 
in  which  he  can  be  held  strictly  accountable  for  what  he  says.  To 
obtain  a  little  inspiration  I  presented  myself  before  a  mirror  after 
having  crawled  into  the  inside  of  the  attire  in  question.  My 
fears  were  instantly  confirmed ;  there  was  not  much  in  it. 

I  do  not  know  who  introduced  the  fashion  originally;  I  am 
inclined  to  think  that  it  was  the  product  of  a  gradual  evolution. 
Probably  the  Cap  and  the  Gown  had  quite  different  origins.  It 
is  quite  likely  that,  when  bald  heads  were  not  quite  as  fash- 
ionable as  now,  some  old  college  professor  who  decided  to  protect 
and  perhaps  conceal  the  inconvenient  nakedness  on  the  summit  of 
his  anatomy,  originated  the  natural  skull  cap,  and  imposed  the 
style  upon  a  long  line  of  successors;  finally  one  arose  who  tried 
to  do  something  remarkable  by  standing  before  the  world  in  an 
attitude  a  little  different  from  that  in  which  college  professors 


; .   i|  .f;[rujy,Trr-ir-TT>-rr.iirT'T'irriTi'Trfl'?T"'"' r'^t^Z^l 


AARON    FRIEDENWALD 

iSoi 


«;OWN" 


and  I' 


Che  Cap 

>   Buch  a 

)nt8  me  and 

11     .,,„l.l     T 


am 

on. 

It 

■  A\- 

•  i.  or 

ajAwn3a3mi  mofiaa 

the 

1Q?.\ 

i  lied 

1  in  an 

which  ^ 

1 ofessors 

Addresses.  273 

were  wont  to  appear,  and  he  thought  he  could  make  a  great  sen- 
sation by  standing  on  his  head,  to  facilitate  which  he  resorted  to 
the  patent  mortar-board  attachment. 

The  next  great  discovery  .  .  .  was  made,  no  doubt,  when 
some  other  college  professor  found  that  the  cap  could  be  worn 
without  standing  on  one's  head.  Things  have  been  going  on  pretty 
well  since  that  time,  except  on  certain  occasions  when  it  became 
exceedingly  difficult  to  decide  whether  a  professor  was  standing 
on  his  head  or  on  his  feet.  So  much  for  the  probable  early  his- 
tory of  the  cap. 

But  whence  came  the  gown  ?  There  is  not  the  slightest  difficulty 
in  explaining  that.  It  is  fair  to  infer  that  in  ancient  times 
there  were  just  as  absent-minded  professors  as  there  are  to-day, 
and  it  was  a  most  natural  accident  that  one  of  them  should  have 
seized  upon  a  Mother  Hubbard  hung  upon  a  professor^s  hook  and 
put  it  on  instead  of  an  overcoat.  The  gracefulness  of  the  combina- 
tion of  the  Cap  and  the  Gown  was  at  once  recognized.  The  Cap 
and  Gown  became  from  that  time  on  in  many  places  essential  to  the 
dignity  of  every  professor  and  of  every  young  doctor,  and  this 
ancient  habiliment  has  finally  been  rehabilitated  here.  It  is  a  new 
thing  with  us,  but  it  won't  take  long  for  us  to  get  used  to  it,  and 
we  shall  soon  ask  ourselves  how  we  got  on  so  long  without  it.  But 
we  must  guard  against  accident,  and  therefore  I  would  warn  our 
worthy  Dean,  Professor  0.,  not  to  stand  himself  in  some  corner 
for  a  little  rest;  for,  as  it  is  quite  natural  that  he  should  be  very 
tired  when  he  wears  the  uniform,  he  might  fall  asleep,  and  some 
fellow  who  had  not  seen  such  a  thing  before  might  come  along,  and, 
if  it  rained  outside,  might  take  him  for  an  umbrella,  and  seize  him 
by  what  he  would  regard  as  the  handle  and  try  to  hoist  him.  I 
hope  my  friend  0.  will  not  take  offense  at  being  compared  to  an 
umbrella,  for  I  really  intend  to  pay  him  a  well  deserved  compli- 
ment.   The  comparison  is  not  suggested  by  the  fact  that  he  is  of 


274  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

tall  and  slender  form  and  can  be  made  to  spread  himself  when  it 
becomes  necessary,  but  by  the  fact  that  he  has  thrown  every  other 
dean  that  I  have  ever  known  completely  into  the  shade. 

I  was  much  pleased  to  see  how  becoming  the  Cap  and  Gown 
were  to  my  esteemed  friend,  Professor  L.  ;^  it  gave  him  (as  I 
thought)  quite  a  saintly  appearance,  and  I  would  advise  him  to 
wear  it  before  the  class  when  next  he  will  relate  his  annual  story 
of  the  famous  young  lady  who  passed  an  iceberg,  and  I  am  sure  the 
story  will  be  regarded  as  a  miracle  and  not  as  a  joke.  If  he  will 
take  my  advice  I  will  promise  him  to  be  present  on  the  occasion. 
The  dress  suits  him  admirably;  it  does  not  conceal  a  good  point 
about  him,  not  even  his  embonpoint;  in  fact  it  just  suits  his  gen- 
eral get-up,  for  I  know  of  no  one  who  is  so  quick  about  getting 
out  of  some  things. 

The  Cap  and  Gown  are  no  less  becoming  to  Professor  B. ;  they 
give  him  a  veritably  high-priestly  appearance;  I  do  not  want  to 
underrate  his  merits  as  to  surgical  knowledge  and  surgical  skill, 
but  I  really  believe  he  has  missed  his  calling;  I  am  led  to  believe 
this  by  the  deep  impression  which  he  makes  upon  the  class  by 
his  annual  sermon  at  the  close  of  his  lectures,  and  by  the  sacerdotal 
blessing  which  he  extends  on  that  occasion.  I  felt  deeply  affected 
myself  when  I  met  the  weeping  multitude  coming  down  stairs, 
and  had  to  console  the  poor  fellows  and  tell  them  not  to  take  the 
parting  so  hard. 

The  Cap  and  Gown  were  first  proposed  in  our  faculty  by  Professor 
E.  Gentlemen,  hand  this  down  to  posterity,  it  is  a  recognition 
which  is  eminently  due  him.  He  fought  hard  and  against  odds, 
but  he  finally  triumphed.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  idea  was 
suggested  to  him  by  any  of  his  sanitary  studies;  he  never  told 
us  anything  about  that.  He  suggested  any  number  of  wherefores, 
but  it  was  the  wherewith  which  was  the  formidable  objection  he  had 

*  Professor  of  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  Medicine. 


Addresses.  275 

to  overcome.  E.  looks  well  in  almost  anything.  He  is  the  last 
man  in  the  world  whom  I  would  begrudge  the  gown,  but  I  must 
confess  it  was  not  a  little  disappointment  to  me  this  morning  when 
the  top  of  his  head  was  completely  concealed  from  view.  That 
head  has  been  an  inspiration  to  me  on  many  an  occasion-  You 
gentlemen  may  not  see  anything  on  the  top  of  that  head,  but  I 
have  always  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  something  there  to  hold 
on  to.  It  has  served  me  to  good  purpose  in  ajffording  a  place  for 
copious  imaginary  memoranda. 

Having  begun  to  divulge  secrets,  I  might  as  well  leave  the 
whole  cat  out  of  the  bag;  I  mean  no  disrespect,  for  I  shall  now 
have  to  say  a  word  about  Professor  P.  You  all  know  that  he 
was  manufactured  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  and  you 
will  agree  with  me  that  the  job  was  well  done.  We  all  had  a 
very  high  opinion  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  even  before 
the  notable  sample  of  its  products  just  mentioned  came  among 
us,  and  we  were  quite  willing  to  follow  the  example  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  in  any  way  by  which  the  methods  of  our  college 
might  be  improved.  We  felt  that  Professor  P.  had  some  revelation 
to  make;  but,  although  we  extended  every  possible  encouragement 
to  him  to  unbosom  himself,  he  remained  taciturn  for  quite  a  while. 
We  inquired  about  the  laboratories,  about  the  lectures,  about  the 
building,  about  the  three  years'  course,  about  preliminary  require- 
ments; and  all  these  inquiries  were  met  by  a  silent  but  negative 
shake  of  his  ponderous  head.  But  there  came  an  occasion  at  last 
when  he  seemed  prepared  for  a  grand  announcement ;  we  assembled 
around  him,  he  drew  himself  up  in  a  most  earnest  attitude,  and 
breathed  the  words :  "Cap  and  Gown  !  " 


EESPONSE  TO  A  TOAST  AT  THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF 
THE  ALUMNI  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS 
AND  SUKGEONS,  APEIL  19,  1893. 

Mr.  Toastmaster: 

So  you  want  to  have  a  snap-shot  at  me  this  time!  Well,  help 
yourself,  but  be  prepared  for  the  worst.  On  this  occasion,  where 
everything  is  so  exceedingly  pleasant  and  such  good  cheer  prevails, 
where  so  many  good  fellows  who  were  never  expected  to  be  equal 
to  the  task  have  made  such  very  fine  speeches,  and  where  keen  wit 
has  spouted  forth  from  what  was  looked  upon  as  barren  rock  for 
such  phenomena,  the  rock  not  being  smitten  by  the  staff,  but  wit 
issuing  forth  as  a  living  stream  at  your  command;  when  sparkling 
humor  has  spent  its  brightest  pearls  with  a  lavish  hand,  and 
deepest  sentiment  has  floated  gracefully  on  the  current  of  thought, 
and  new  jokes  have  been  born  without  disaster  to  either  mother 
or  child,  and  have  been  held  up  to  us  in  newest  editions,  and 
stories  have  been  told  in  such  a  charming  style  that,  though  much 
of  them  was  old,  there  was  more  of  them  that  was  new,  and  when 
imagination  has  soared  in  such  celestial  flights  from  minds  whose 
reasoning  has  been  wont  to  dwell  in  frigid  zones,  and  when  poetry 
has  seized  the  reins  of  speech  and  lyric  strains  have  flowed  from 
lips  that  but  yesterday  spoke  of  dry  bones  and  bleeding  piles, 
club  feet  and  pylosalpinx,  gangrene  and  gallstones,  melancholia 
and  castor  oil, — on  such  an  occasion,  Mr.  Toastmaster,  I  am 
willing  to  be  resigned  to  my  fate. 

Mr.  Toastmaster,  we  owe  you  a  great  debt  of  gratitude  for 
the  very  rich  feast  you  have  prepared  for  us.  What  the  Carrollton 
has    offered   has    been    as    good    as    its    well-deserved    reputation 


Addresses.  277 

has  justified  us  in  expecting,  but,  in  comparison  with  the  intellectual 
menu  that  you  have  spread  before  us,  it  is  as  a  barbecue  to  Del- 
monico's,  and  I  feel  greatly  inclined  to  pour  my  blessings,  in  behalf 
of  this  good  company,  upon  your  reverend  head,  but  when  I  gaze 
upon  that  slippery  convexity,  as  I  have  a  great  dread  for  accidents, 
I  am  afraid  to  run  the  risk  of  pouring  anything  on  it.  I  well 
remember  the  time  when  it  looked  like  an  ordinary  head,  and 
when  first  that  noble  forehead  began  swiftly  to  claim  its  just 
dimensions ;  but  soon  that  Kubicon,  the  coronal  suture,  was  passed, 
and  the  devastation  has  gradually  marched  onward  in  the  sagittal 
line,  now  and  then,  making  a  malicious  centrifugal  sweep  until 
nothing  has  been  left  to  sweep  away,  and  the  occipital  protuberance 
stands  out  in  bold  relief  as  the  distant  milestone  that  has  been 
left  behind.  But  after  all  there  has  been  no  great  damage  done; 
indeed,  it  would  have  been  a  pity  to  have  such  a  head  concealed  by 
even  the  most  beautiful  growth.  We  can  now  see  what  a  fitting 
superstructure  it  is  to  all  that  it  surmounts.  It  reminds  one 
of  a  magnificent  dome  of  some  grand  cathedral. 

But  there  is  other  architectural  material  here  that  we  must 
not  overlook.  There  is  0.,  standing  among  us  as  the  tower- 
ing spire  that  is  eagerly  looked  for  in  the  distance,  that  has 
stood  the  test  of  time,  and  defies  the  storms  that  have  beat  against 
it ;  that  stands  now  where  it  was  placed  in  the  beginning ;  that  casts 
no  shadows,  but  reflects  sunshine  on  all  sides  and  leans  toward 
none.  He  is  a  jolly  good  fellow ;  he  is  a  man  equal  to  any  task,  but 
a  hero  in  emergencies;  in  the  perplexities  which  beset  him  at  this 
season  he  often  mislays  his  papers,  but  never  loses  his  temper. 

I  like  to  please  all  parties,  and  there  may  be  those  who  would 
like  to  see  two  domes  upon  the  same  structure.  My  friend 
L.  would  be  available  in  such  an  emergency,  but  then  he  would 
havS  to  be  placed  horizontally,  belly  upward,  and  I  am  too  good  a 
friend  to  suffer  that  he  should  be  on  his  back.  Besides  he  serves 
19 


278  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

a  much  more  useful  purpose;  as  long  as  he  can  stand  safely  and 
happily  alone,  he  is  the  strong  fortress  which  firmly  props  up  all 
the  rest. 

The  building  would  not  be  complete  without  our  friend  B. 
He  is  a  man  of  deep  emotions.  How  touching  are  his  words  when 
he  bids  you  farewell,  how  deeply  he  sighs  for  the  griefs  that  may 
threaten  you!  How  anxious  he  is  that  all  may  go  well  with 
you!  The  rest  of  us  may  feel  as  deeply  as  he,  but  we  cannot 
show  it  nearly  so  well.  We  could  not  afford  to  do  without  him  on 
that  account.  He  is  our  canaliculus  [tear-duct],  but  I  am  not 
speaking  anatomically,  but  architecturally;  let  us  therefore  place 
him  as  the  rainspout  through  which  we  shall  pour  all  our  tears. 

Next  there  is  Professor  S.,  whose  perennial  smile  would  lead 
me  to  doubt  that  there  is  any  acid  in  nature,  certainly  in  his 
nature.  He  shall  be  represented  as  the  open  door  which  speaks 
a  friendly  welcome  to  all,  that  does  not  creak  upon  its  hinges, 
and,  if  it  be  a  sliding  door,  it  certainly  must  be  one  that  never 
flies  off  the  track. 

And  now  we'll  want  a  weather-cock;  C.  is  at  hand  to  fill  the 
bill,  not  that  he  turns  with  the  wind,  but  because  he  always  looks 
in  the  right  direction.  He  never  looks  behind  when  there's  danger 
in  front,  nor  does  he  look  in  front  when  the  enemy  is  in  the  rear. 
I  might  have  termed  him  the  weather-vane,  but  I  did  not  want 
to  suggest  the  query  whether  he  was  vain  or  not,  or  whether  there 
was  anything  in  his  looks  that  entitled  him  to  be  vain.  He  was 
not  made  for  show,  but  for  service;  and,  like  many  other  home- 
made things,  will  be  sure  to  wear  well. 

And  there  is  Professor  P.;  he  is  made  up  of  the  straightest 
timber,  and  will  do  well  for  the  balustrade.  It  is  a  good  thing 
to  hold  on  to;  it  leads  the  way  to  safety  and  tells  when  you  go 
the  wrong  way.     Not  one  of  those  balustrades  that  can  be  straddled. 


Addresses.  279 

or  sat  upon,  or  jumped  over;  I  say  this  in  friendly  warning  to 
those  not  fully  initiated. 

We  have  been  on  the  roof;  now  let's  go  to  the  cellar  and  inspect 
the  catacombs,  the  repository  of  the  trophies  of  death.  Here  is 
the  great  art  gallery  in  which  disease  has  hung  its  paintings, 
and  deformity  has  placed  its  statues.  You  will  feel  a  little  un- 
comfortable here;  the  air  is  damp  and  chilly.  But  look  again; 
by  some  legerdemain  the  building  has  been  reversed  and  you 
are  suddenly  in  the  top  story,  and  the  friendly  countenance  of  my 
friend  K.  greets  you.  You  know  he  don't  mind  having  things 
upside  down  occasionally.  Ko  wonder  that  he  is  always  so  serious ; 
he  deals  only  with  the  dead.  But  perhaps  he  is  not  so  serious 
after  all;  you  know  he  is  a  trifle  selfish,  so  he  secures  a  silent 
audience  that  he  may  have  all  the  fun  to  himself. 

Last,  but  not  least,  we  turn  to  the  last  addition  of  the  structure. 
Professor  N. ;  ^  he  will  do  well  for  the  belfry,  from  which  the  tale 
is  "told"  of  many  a  strong  pull. 

And  now,  gentlemen  of  the  graduating  class,  one  word  to  you 
in  conclusion.  I  want  to  present  you  each  with  a  souvenir,  of 
course  in  miniature,  representing  a  dome,  a  spire,  a  fortress,  a 
rainspout,  a  weather-cock,  a  balustrade,  a  catacomb,  and  a  belfry; 
when  you  look  upon  them,  remember  kindly  those  whom  I  have 
made  them  represent  on  this  occasion,  as  kindly  as  I  am  sure  they 
will  always  remember  you. 

^Recently  elected  Professor  of  Obstetrics. 


EESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST  OF  "THE  COLLEGE"  AT 
THE  ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF  THE  ALUMNI  OP  THE 
COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SUKGEONS,  APRIL 
15,  1897. 

Gentlemen  : 

I  have  a  friend,  whom  I  shall  speak  of  on  this  occasion  as 
"  the  judge,"  who  is  quite  a  scholar,  and  whose  judgment  is  highly 
valued.  He  was  requested  to  hear  the  inaugural  sermon  of  a 
new  preacher  who  had  been  selected  by  a  congregation  after  a 
number  of  trial  sermons  by  less  fortunate  aspirants.  The  judge 
came.  THe  congregation  was  elated,  but  the  judge's  countenance 
maintained  a  stoical  expression.  After  the  services  the  dignitaries 
approached  him  for  his  verdict,  when  he  said,  "  You  have  selected 
the  wrong  man."  "Whom  should  we  have  chosen?"  said  they 
in  their  consternation.  "Any  other  man,"  was  his  prompt  reply. 
This  would  have  been  my  answer  to  the  committee,  but  the  mes- 
sage reached  me  at  the  eleventh  hour,  and  the  committee  was 
sly  enough  to  be  nowhere  sufiBciently  near  for  my  answer  to  reach 
them,  and  so  I  am  here  to-night  to  do  the  bidding  of  the  committee, 
unwillingly,  as  best  I  can, 

I  am  sure  that  you  have  looked  forward  to  Dr.  0.  as  that 
"  any  other  man  "  to  respond  to  the  toast,  and  I  must  do  the  com- 
mittee the  justice,  notwithstanding  all  the  just  grudge  I  bear  them, 
to  state  that  they  knew  who  would  be  the  man,  the  proper  man,  for 
the  occasion.  But  Dr.  0.  has  a  head  entirely  his  own,  and  he 
just  will  or  will  not  as  pleases  him.  He  can  slip  through  readily 
where  others  are  caught,  and  so  he  has  extricated  himself  from, 
and  precipitated  me  into  a  difficulty.  If  every  man  were  blessed 
as  he,  when  in  a  tight  place,  you  would  never  have  been  admonished 


Addresses.  281 

that  it  is  as  impossible  for  a  man  to  pass  through  the  eye  of  a 
needle  as  it  is  for  a  camel  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

I  know  fuU  well  that  it  is  quite  unusual  and  equally  unexpected 
on  occasions  of  this  kind  to  pay  the  slightest  regard  to  the  subject 
upon  which  one  is  called  to  speak.  But  I  do  want  to  say  a  word 
or  two  about  the  college,  and  therefore,  I  ask  your  pardon  for  what 
ordinarily  would  be  accounted  a  digression.  The  college  has  long 
since  reached  vigorous  adult  life.  Many  years  have  passed  since 
0.  put  on  its  last  diaper.  He  was  a  faithful  nurse,  as  many 
a  sleepless  night  attested.  He  used  to  place  it  on  the  scale 
every  day  or  two  to  see  how  it  was  getting  along.  But  the  scale 
had  soon  to  be  abandoned.  The  swaddling  clothes  were  thrown 
aside  long  before  the  usual  time.  Every  thing  soon  got  too  small 
for  it,  and  at  very  short  intervals  it  demanded  more  room  for 
itself.  It  did  not  begin  its  movements  by  crawling,  but  took  a 
bold  step  from  the  beginning.  That  first  step  was  a  remarkable 
one,  for  before  it  rose  the  Maternite,  as  if  by  enchantment;  a  new 
departure  in  which  it  had  no  guide,  but  in  which  it  has  been  a 
leader  to  its  elders.  Its  next  great  triumph  was  the  acquisition 
at  a  single  stroke  of  all  that  the  Washington  University  had  come 
into  possession  of  in  half  a  century.  Before  many  more  years 
had  passed  the  City  Spring  lot,  which  had  so  long  been  conspicuous 
for  its  barrenness,  was  made  fruitful,  and  the  new  City  Hospital 
bunt  upon  it,  and  then  the  new  well-equipped  college  building 
superseded  what  had  been  both  college  and  hospital.  This  does 
not  include  all,  but  my  story  would  prove  too  long.  More  significant 
than  all  these  acquisitions,  however,  is  the  recognition  of  the 
influence  it  has  wielded  in  bringing  about  the  improved  methods 
and  advanced  standards  of  modern  medical  education. 

The  college  has  now  reached  a  stage  in  its  development  which 
will*  enable  it  to  celebrate  achievements  in  the  future  even 
more  brilliant  than  in  the  past.     It  was  no  small  satisfaction  to 


88^  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  older  members  of  the  faculty  in  years  gone  by  when  we  were 
made  more  fully  conscious  of  the  meritorious  career  of  the  college 
by  that  notable  silence  which  formed  the  sepulchre  of  the  sneers 
and  slander  which  had  assailed  it  in  its  early  youth.  Let  us  hope 
that  when  the  time  comes  when  those  who  are  young  in  the  faculty 
now  shall  speak  as  I  do  to-night,  to  sons  of  fathers  who  have 
been  my  pupils,  that  they  will  be  able  to  exult  in  being  connected 
with  a  college  which  will  be  true  to  its  past,  an  honor  to  them- 
selves, and  a  pride  to  the  profession. 


EESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST  OF  "  MUSIC  "  AT  A  BANQUET 
OF  THE  BALTIMOEE  MEDICAL  ASSOCIATION, 
1873  (?). 

Mr.  President  : 

We  have  all  been  taught  that  honest  confession  is  good  for  the 
soul;  and,  not  wishing  to  deprive  that  important  element  of  my 
organism  of  the  salutary  influences  described  by  this  maxim,  I 
confess  here  without  the  slightest  hesitation  that  I  do  not  know 
anything  at  all  about  music,  notwithstanding  which,  however,  I 
am  not  deterred  from  responding  to  the  toast  just  announced, 
and  I  feel  encouraged  to  hope  that  I  may  acquit  myself  not  dis- 
creditably, for  it  is  not  of  rare  occurrence  that  physicians  speak 
best  on  subjects  which  they  do  not  understand. 

Music  has  been  extolled  in  poetry  and  prose  from  time  im- 
memorial for  the  benefits  which  it  bestows  upon  mankind.  Every 
one  says  that  it  refines  our  tastes,  elevates  our  thoughts,  inspires 
us  with  the  beautiful  and  sublime,  in  a  word,  that  it  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  soul.  I  have  no  special  reason  to  find  fault  with 
this  generally  received  opinion,  and,  if  I  had,  I  would  not,  for 
I  have  a  superstition  that  it  is  not  safe  on  the  commencement  of 
the  new  year  to  steer  against  the  current  of  public  opinion.  But 
there  are  other  considerations  which  should  induce  me  to  pay 
homage  willingly  at  the  shrine  of  music.  Who  is  there  so  callous 
that  has  not  felt  its  wondrous  charms?  On  joyous  occasions  it 
gladdens  the  heart,  and  makes  pleasure  pure ;  in  sorrow  it  breathes 
soothing  consolation.  From  our  earliest  infancy  we  require  its 
happy  influences;  and  you,  as  medical  men,  can  bear  testimony 
that  the  maternal  lullaby  is  more  potent  than  the  syrup  of  the 


284  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

most  venerated  Mrs.  Winslow.  I  remember  but  one  occasion  in 
my  life  when  music  proved  a  source  of  annoyance  to  me.  It  was 
on  the  occasion  of  a  professional  visit  of  an  unimportant  character, 
after  which  I  intended  to  hurry  to  the  relief  of  a  suffering 
patient.  The  fond  mother  insisted  that  I  should  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  admire  the  wonderful  talent  of  her  promising  offspring. 
I  protested  a  professional  engagement,  she  insisted  on  the  wonderful 
talent,  and  I  was  compelled  to  yield.  I  would  not  confess  this 
much  to  any  one  else,  but  you,  as  physicians,  realize  how  important 
it  is  for  a  physician  to  be  polite  under  all  circumstances.  A  piece 
was  played  on  the  piano,  but  the  groans  of  my  poor  patient  sounded 
in  my  ears  and  I  could  not  hear  the  music.  To  conceal  my  agita- 
tion I  fixed  my  eye  intently  upon  the  instrument  and  in  my  dis- 
traction it  took  the  form  of  an  animal.  ...  I  placed  it  in  the 
family  of  quadrupeds.  It  had  a  large  body,  a  very  large  mouth 
which  it  opened  by  raising  its  upper  jaw  and  displayed  two  rows 
of  teeth,  the  upper  one  showing  the  destructive  effect  of  time,  the 
lower  one  in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation.  It  had  four  legs  and 
a  long  trunk  which,  when  tread  upon,  caused  the  animal  to  make  a 
great  deal  of  noise.     I  was  not  astonished  at  this. 

Having  alluded  to  a  musical  instrument,  I  take  occasion  to 
defend  the  wind  instruments  from  the  charge  of  producing  inguinal 
hernia,  brought  against  them  by  our  profession.  I  have  reason  to 
know  that  physicians  are  singularly  exempt  from  this  infirmity, 
and  I  know  a  very  large  number  of  them  blow  their  trumpets  very 
persistently. 

But  I  am  to  speak  on  music,  not  on  musical  instruments.  Music 
speaks  best  for  itself.     .     .     . 


EEPLY  TO  THE  TOAST  OP  "THE  BABIES"  AT  THE 
ANNUAL  BANQUET  OF  THE  BALTIMOEE  MEDICAL 
AND  SUKGICAL  SOCIETY,  JANUAKY  28,  1886. 

Gentlemen  : 

I  don't  like  to  find  fault  with  the  committee  that  selected  me 
to  respond  to  the  toast  of  "  The  Babies,"  but  it  seems  to  me  the 
cause  would  be  served  better  if  a  much  younger  man  would  have 
had  this  duty  assigned  to  him.  I  say  this  on  the  principle  that 
governed  that  big  boy  who  could  not  tell  how  old  he  was  when 
he  was  asked,  and,  after  he  was  put  to  shame  by  a  very  little  fellow 
who  replied  promptly,  "  I  am  three  years  old,"  when  the  same 
question  was  propounded  to  him,  extricated  himself  from  the 
difficulty  by  saying,  "  Oh,  it  is  no  wonder  that  kid  should  remember 
his  age ;  it  hasn't  been  so  long  since  he  was  born !  "  Now,  there 
are  a  number  in  this  company  whose  recollections  of  babyhood 
should  still  be  very  vivid,  for  it  hasn't  been  so  very  long  since  they 
were  babies.  I  will,  however,  not  enter  any  further  plea  in  regard 
to  the  comparative  disadvantage  at  which  I  find  myself,  because 
after  all  everybody  ought  to  know  something  about  babies,  for  we 
were  all  babies  once.  Once,  did  I  say?  Well,  I  desire  to  qualify 
this  statement  slightly,  for  some  of  us  have  been  babies  occasionally 
since  we  were  born,  and  not  a  few  have  remained  babies  ever  since. 
I  shall  not  permit  my  remarks,  however,  to  take  this  wide  range, 
but  shall  confine  myself  to  babies  in  infancy.  I  feel  assured  of 
your  good  wishes  that  this  "  confinement "  shall  be  safe  and  speedy 
and  result  in  no  harm  to  either  the  baby  or  myself.  I  assume 
the  duty  imposed  upon  me  very  cheerfully,  the  more  so  because 
I  think  it  is  high  time  that  a  kind  word  should  be  spoken  for  the 
babies  by  one  who  has  always  been  their  friend. 


286  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

There  can  be  no  kind  of  doubt  that  babies  have  lost  much  of 
their  ancient  popularity.  Mothers  and  fathers  cannot  be  found  novr- 
a-days  who  would  feel  .  .  .  happy  in  the  idea  of  being  the  parents 
of  a  dozen  children;  I  say  in  the  idea,  for  the  reality  so  seldom 
presents  itself  that  it  hardly  deserves  to  be  taken  into  account.  It 
seems  only  through  special  favor,  or  perhaps  through  an  unavoid- 
able accident,  that  a  baby  is  permitted  to  be  born  at  all.  "  Why 
is  this  thus  ? "  I  exclaim,  in  the  language  of  Artemus  Ward. 
Well,  it  is  replied,  they  are  too  much  trouble  anyhow;  they  keep 
us  awake  at  night;  they  require  too  often  the  expensive  luxury  of 
an  extra  wet  nurse ;  they  bring  too  much  measles,  whooping  cough, 
scarlet  fever,  and  diphtheria  into  the  family;  during  the  day  they 
constantly  keep  us  busy  in  keeping  them  out  of  mischief,  and  at 
night  they  interrupt  the  dreams  of  both  parents  and  grandparents 
with  frightful  stories  of  colic  and  earache.  In  the  winter  they 
arouse  us  from  our  slumber  with  the  shrill  bugle  notes  of  the 
croup;  and  go  and  ask  the  poor  washerwoman  what  the  summer 
complaint  brings.  But  we  must  not  listen  to  these  charges  any 
longer;  enough  is  enough,  and  in  this  instance  far  too  much, 
I  will  therefore  plead  on  this  occasion  for  the  life  of  the  baby.  I 
am  indebted  for  this  forcible  expression  to  a  very  distinguished 
townsman,^  who,  in  the  public  entertainments  which  he  gave  during 
the  past  winter,  proved  himself  a  much  greater  humorist  than  the 
very  great  one  whom  I  quoted  a  few  moments  since.  Yes,  I  will 
plead  for  the  life  of  the  baby,  and,  although  I  lack  the  eloquence 
of  the  gentlemen  from  whom  I  borrow  the  language,  I  have  this 
advantage,  that  I  am  pleading  for  the  life  of  a  respectable  baby, 
who  knows  who  its  parents  are,  and  is  surrounded  by  decent  rela- 
tions. It  may  make  no  difference  to  that  gentleman  whether  any 
babies  are  born  or  not  for  the  next  fifty  years,  yet  the  baby  for 

^  Bernard  Carter,  author  of  a  well-known  "  Plea  for  the  Life  of  the 
Democratic  Party." 


Addresses.  287 

whose  life  he  plead  so  feelingly  can  always  show  up  a  very  large 
family  connection  without  any  natural  additions.  But  we,  gentle- 
men, we  recognize  in  our  babies  the  men  and  women  of  the  future, 
and  we  have  not  yet  learned  the  art  of  perpetuating  society  without 
them.  And  I  plead  first  for  the  life  of  the  baby  before  it  is  born, 
for  after  it  once  manages  to  be  born  it  is  generally  able  to  dictate 
terms  and  to  become  master  of  the  situation.  I  protest  against  the 
many  drawbacks  by  which  it  is  hampered  in  gaining  citizenship 
in  this  great  country,  and  I  denounce  the  assassination  by  which 
it  is  so  often  confronted.  Only  give  the  baby  a  chance,  I  would 
plead.  Let  it  only  be  born,  and  then  it  will  plead  most  successfully 
for  itself. 

What  a  blessing  it  is  to  the  family!  When  it  is  once  bom,  I 
mean.  How  gloomy  is  the  home  without  it!  What  an  Egyptian 
darkness  would  prevail,  even  with  Edison's  incandescent  lamp,  with- 
out its  cheering  light.  What  is  there  so  brilliant  as  its  bright 
little  eyes,  what  is  there  so  charming  as  its  beautiful  features,  what 
is  there  so  lovely  as  its  cherub-like  form;  what  a  pity  it  is  that 
its  loveliness  does  not  last  a  little  longer !  I  have  lived  long  enough 
to  verify  the  experience  of  our  grandmothers,  that  the  most  beau- 
tiful baby  is  often  ashamed  to  sit  for  its  picture  when  it  has 
reached  manhood  or  womanhood.  I  don't  like  to  be  personal,  but 
in  looking  around  me  I  notice  a  number  in  this  company  who 
from  present  appearances  must  have  been  very  beautiful  babies 
indeed.  We  should  indeed  be  grateful  for  the  great  happiness  which 
the  baby  bestows,  and  should  willingly  forgive  all  of  its  little  naugh- 
tinesses, for  it  must  be  confessed  that  it  is  not  always  fairly  treated ; 
and  we  should  not  think  hard  of  it  when  it  tries  once  in  a  while  to 
avenge  itself.  .  .  .  Why  should  it  be  punished  for  a  little  dis- 
respect to  its  parents,  when  it  soon  finds  out  that  a  great  part  of 
its  business  in  this  world  is  to  give  evidence  of  and  bear  responsi- 
bility for  their  iniquities,  and  finds  out  further  that  it  is  so  big 


288  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

a  job  that  it  is  forced  to  delegate  a  part  of  the  work  to  its  suc- 
cessors in  the  third  and  fourth  generation.  Why  should  it  not 
break  a  costly  mantle-piece  ornament  once  in  a  while,  as  a  satisfac- 
tion for  the  injustice  done  by  the  mother  whose  extravagance  has 
brought  her  husband  into  insolvency,  and  who  answers  his  re- 
proaches by  accusing  him  of  having  too  many  children. 

Talk  as  you  will  about  them,  I  shall  always  be  their  friend.  They 
are  the  only  innocent  constituent  of  society;  I  love  them  for  their 
innocence,  I  admire  them  for  their  loveliness.  Charge  them  with 
what  you  may,  I  shall  ever  be  ready  to  plead  their  cause,  and  to 
prove  that  they  are  innocent ;  at  least  as  innocent  as  I  am  of  having 
said  anything  to-night  that  is  going  to  do  them  any  good. 


j^aiC  ^nc£^^^c^  ^?pa2^^  ^^^uA.  /^^  ^  /i^ 


/jeJ^^X-  ^2^^^^^  ^c^ft^  ^^c^-c^  ^f^6iy:^!.<^^^i^^^^. 


RESPONSE  TO  THE  TOAST,  "JOLLITY,  THE  KING 
OF  MEDICINES,"  AT  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  OF 
THE  LIBERAL  CLUB,  JANUARY  1,  1889. 

Gentlemen  : 

In  your  calling  upon  me  to  praise  jollity,  the  king  of  medicines, 
I  not  only  feel  complimented  myself,  but  accept  it  as  a  high  tribute 
to  the  honorable  profession  of  which  I  am  an  humble  member, 
that  you  so  fully  recognize  that  medical  men,  while  loyal  to  their 
pharmacopoeia,  are  not  its  vassals,  and  that  they  neither  send  all 
their  prescriptions  to  the  apothecary  nor  expect  always  to  be  paid 
for  all  the  good  advice  which  they  give.  Yes,  jollity  is  the  king 
of  medicines,  and  it  is  further  to  be  said  in  its  favor  that,  unlike 
a  great  many  other  good  medicines,  we  need  not  wait  till  we  are 
ill  to  partake  of  its  benefits.  Of  one  thing  I  feel  sure,  that  not 
one  of  you  here  present  will  dispute  with  me  when  I  say  that  it 
should  never  be  taken  in  homeopathic  doses.  It  should  not  only 
be  exhibited  in  liberal  quantities,  but  frequently  repeated,  so  that 
its  exhilarating  influence  does  not  wear  off  during  long  intervals 
between  its  administration.  It  should  never  be  given  in  cold  water, 
for  this  chills  the  soul  of  it;  but  with  sparkling  wine  it  is  apt 
to  maintain  happy  companionship.  It  is  a  sure  cure  for  many 
ills ;  it  can  be  resorted  to  before  and  after  and  during  meals.  It 
is  a  stimulant  of  the  highest  order,  sweeping  away  the  cobwebs 
from  a  torpid  brain,  and  opening  up  all  the  avenues  for  unob- 
structed procession  of  the  better  emotions.  It  gives  force  to  good 
humor,  tone  to  merriment,  and  motion  to  happy  thoughts.  It 
restores  the  weary  and  resuscitates  many  whom  hard  work  has  ex- 
hausted.    It  is  also  a  good  purgative,  for  it  effectually  removes 


290  Aaron  Priedenwald,  M.  D. 

from  the  system  that  heavy,  indigestible,  unassimilible  matter  that 
lies  so  heavy  upon  our  emotions  and  so  often  gives  rise  to  unpleas- 
ant eructations  at  inopportune  times.  It  frees  us  from  all  this,  and 
always  without  the  least  griping.  It  is  a  charming  antacid,  and 
it  is  a  blessing  to  the  stomach  when  one's  humor  has  turned  sour 
in  it;  there  is  no  use  for  soda  nor  ammonia  nor  potassa  where  it 
holds  sway. 

It  is  not  a  hypnotic;  it  affords  rest  without  sleep;  it  rouses  the 
lethargic;  it  awakes  the  dreamer;  it  has  never  been  accused  of 
inducing  snoring,  and  often  achieves  its  greatest  triumphs  when 
it  does  not  go  to  bed  before  morning.  It  is  not  a  narcotic,  for  it 
never  stupifies — be  it  said  to  its  credit  that  stupidity  has  no  such 
worthy  origin.  It  acts  occasionally  as  an  emetic,  but  only  in 
those  with  whom  it  does  not  agree,  with  the  fellow  who  can't  laugh 
without  pain,  nor  smile  without  groaning.  There  are  none  such 
here,  and  in  this  regard  it  need  not  further  be  considered. 

To  sum  up  its  praise  in  a  few  words,  we  must  have  recourse  to 
the  great  master  who  says,  "  Frame  your  minds  to  mirth  and 
merriment,  which  bars  a  thousand  harms  and  lengthens  life." 

But  Shakespeare  was  a  general  practitioner  and  he  lived  before 
the  days  of  specialties;  and  it  may  be  allowed  me  to  indicate  its 
use  in  special  cases. 

I  would  prescribe  it  liberally  to  that  liberal  member  of  this  Lib- 
eral Club,  D,  B.,  as  a  stimulant,  for  so  arduous  a  worker  in  so 
many  fields  as  he  is  will  need  a  stimulant  occasionally.  Look  at  his 
work,  championing  the  cause  of  Henry  George,  studying  the  Bible 
through  and  through  to  find  what  is  not  in  it,  unravelling  the 
mysteries  of  spiritualism,  drafting  election  laws,  remodeling  the 
electoral  college,  preaching  Democracy,  and  going  way  off  to  collect 
ideas  on  the  tariff  question — I  say  going  way  off,  for  to  me  as  a 
Republican  they  seem  far-fetched.  But  this  is  not  all.  The  city 
was  too  small  for  his  active  spirit.     He  went  off  to  the  country. 


Addresses.  291 

and  what  he  did  there  is  contained  in  the  history  of  the  Belt 
Annexation,  and  in  the  remarkable  activity  of  the  dairy  business. 
Now,  this  is  fatiguing  work,  and  jollity  is  the  stimulant  he  needs ; 
let  us  enjoy  it  with  him ;  may  it  bar  from  him  a  thousand  harms 
and  lengthen  his  days,  although  it  may  occasionally  shorten  his 
nights. 

For  Professor  F.  I  should  prescribe  jollity  for  constant  use, 
with  an  extra  dose  on  election  night  as  a  purgative,  to  remove  from 
his  system  those  irritating,  curdled  political  speculations  which 
made  him  so  gloomy  on  that  occasion,  and  caused  the  figures  that 
he  saw  to  assume  such  fantastic  shapes.  Everything  looked  "  very 
bad,  very  bad,  very  bad,"  but  I  was  jolly,  and  everything 
looked  very,  very,  very  good.  But  he  is  jolly  now  and  may  he  ever 
remain  so,  and  may  mirth  and  merriment  bar  from  him  a  thousand 
harms  and  lengthen,  and  broaden,  and  deepen,  and  widen,  and 
heighten  his  days,  so  that  he  shall  not  fall  short  in  any  of  their 
dimensions. 

To  our  friend  L.  L.  I  would  give  it  as  an  alterative,  for  he 
sadly  needs  an  alterative  now.  In  the  pharmacopoeia  mercury 
stands  prominent  as  an  alterative,  but  he  has  taken  to  it  unad- 
visedly,' and  what  an  unfortunate  alteration  has  it  not  made !  Oh, 
how  he  has  wandered  off  from  the  camp,  but  not  so  far  that  he 
cannot  come  back;  and  in  coming  back  he  will  leave  the  gloomy 
"soreheads,"  and  return  to  the  jolly  multitude.  May  mirth  and 
merriment  bar  the  chagrin  of  a  thousand  ill-appreciated  editorials 
and  lengthen  his  life  to  his  full  satisfaction  for  adequate  repent- 
ance. 

To  our  friend  C.  I  would  dispense  jollity  at  all  times,  but  a 
double  dose  when  his  humor  turns  a  little  acid,  as  it  is  apt  to  do 
when  testimony  proves  treacherous,  witnesses  become  unreliable, 

^Mr.  L.  had  recently  connected  himself  with  a  newspaper  called  the 
"  Mercury." 


293  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

judges  too  stupid  to  grant  his  demurrers  or  acknowledge  his  pre- 
cedents; a  little  extra  jollity  in  these  cases  would  relieve  the  heart- 
bum  and  afford  greater  relief  than  coming  to  the  Liberal  Club 
and  venting  his  spleen  on  us  by  delivering  a  learned  dissertation 
on  the  evils  of  education.  May  he  ever  be  the  jolliest  of  the  jolly, 
and  mirth  and  merriment  shield  him  from  a  thousand  ills  and 
lengthen  his  days;  may  he  never  lose  his  temper,  and  always 
win  his  cases. 

To  our  friend  S.  I  would  prescribe  jollity,  particularly  in  bad 
weather,  when  he  has  plenty  of  time  to  partake  of  it,  as  the  simple 
absence  of  customers  is  no  joke  in  itself;  but  I  would  not  limit 
him  to  its  use  only  then,  but  he  should  take  it  whenever  he  feels 
like  it,  and  especially  when  he  doesn't  feel  like  it,  so  that  he  can 
laugh  and  grow  fat.  May  mirth  and  merriment  be  as  plentiful 
with  him  as  pegs  and  shoe  strings,  and  may  they  bar  him  from 
a  thousand  ills  and  lengthen  his  days  in  busy  search  and  multiply 
his  years  so  that  he  may  reach  an  honored  and  ripe  old  age. 

There  are  several  members  present  whose  most  notable  ill  is  the 
bald  head.  I'll  have  to  prescribe  jollity  for  them  on  general 
principles,  for,  although  ready  at  any  time  to  say  a  good  deal  in 
its  favor,  I  cannot  claim  that  it  is  a  hair  restorer.  May  mirth 
and  merriment  be  their  lot,  and  lots  of  it,  and  may  its  invigorating 
influence  not  only  bar  from  them  a  thousand  ills,  but  gain  for 
them  a  year  for  every  hair  they  have  lost. 

To  S.  D.,  our  young  friend,  I  would  prescribe  jollity  to  fulfil  the 
purpose  of  absorbent  cotton  to  dry  up  his  tears  while  sighing  for 
the  "  Crestfallen  Eosebud  "  and  the  "  Broken-hearted  Violinist,"  * 
but  I  would  give  another  dose  as  an  invigorating  cordial  to  fill 
him  'With  bolder  thoughts,  so  that  when  his  muse  calls  again  he 
will  be  found  prepared  to  sing  a  new  song,  a  song  to  the  Chief 
Musician,  a  song  of  the  chivalric  exploits  of  Cupid's  heroes.     May 

*  Titles  of  his  literary  productions. 


Addresses.  293 

he  ever  be  plentifully  supplied  with  mirth  and  merriment  to  bar 
him  from  a  thousand  ills  and  may  his  life  be  lengthened,  so  that 
he  may  witness  his  grandson  becoming  a  grandfather,  and,  when 
finally  he  will  have  to  "  hang  up  his  fiddle  and  his  bow,"  he  may 
go  where  all  the  good  lawyers  go.  I  hope  he  will  meet  our  friend 
C.  there. 

Jollity  is  a  great  panacea;  it  will  be  found  abujidantly  if  only 
looked  for  in  the  right  place.  It  is  very  cheap,  but  we  all  prefer 
not  to  enjoy  it  without  "  Preiss."  May  he  never  suffer  a  scarcity 
of  mirth  and  merriment,  which  will  bar  him  from  a  thousand 
harms  and  lengthen  his  life.  May  his  life  be  as  vigorous  in  old  age 
as  his  beard  has  been  in  young  life. 

Now  you  have,  gentlemen,  a  medical  opinion  describing  the 
beneficient  qualities  of  jollity;  partake  of  it  when  you  can,  while 
you  can,  if  you  can.  Always  have  it  at  home;  take  some  of  it 
with  you  on  your  way;  look  for  it  when  abroad.  Have  plenty  of 
it  to  give  away,  and  never  refuse  to  accept  it  from  a  friendly  hand. 
It  is  one  of  the  things  I  would  have  come  in  free  of  duty,  and  I 
would  make  it  the  duty  of  every  one  to  contribute  to  its  free 
circulation. 

We  shall  not  deny  our  friend  D.  a  dose.  He  needs  and  deserves 
it  too,  as  well  as  any  other  man.  For  him  I  shall  prescribe  it  as 
a  sedative,  to  subdue  his  hallucinations  about  workmen's  revolts 
and  the  evils  of  "scabs."  He  is  the  very  type  of  a  printer;  the 
harder  he  is  pressed  the  better  impression  he  makes.  May  he 
reach  his  centennial,  and  his  mirth  be  perennial. 

Jollity :  It  chirps  its  words  in  song,  breathes  life  into  the  dance, 
gives  voice  to  laughter. 

It  paints  pictures  in  smiles,  moulds  its  forms  in  grace,  rings  its 
chimes  in  the  night. 

It  is  the  plaything  of  the  child,  the  sunshine  of  life's  noonday,  and 
the  halo  to  old  age. 
20 


TOAST  ON  "  MATEIMONY." 

This  occasion  suggests  matrimony  as  the  most  prominent  subject 
for  discussion,  and  a  man  of  my  experience  could  ill  afford  to  ac- 
knowledge that  he  had  not  formulated  some  ideas  in  regard  to  it. 
And  in  whatever  direction  he  might  be  lacking  in  knowledge  de- 
rived from  his  own  experience,  he  could  readily  supply  his  deficiency 
from  the  extensive  bibliography  on  the  subject,  reaching  from  that 
remote  age  when  it  was  written  that  it  was  not  good  for  man  to 
be  alone,  through  the  many  centuries  where  it  reigns  supreme  over 
the  soul  of  all  poetry,  down  to  modem  times,  when  our  neighbor 
of  Utah  regards  a  wife  as  so  great  a  blessing. 

Matrimony  may  be  defined  as  a  state  of  the  Union  having  peculiar 
naturalization  laws.  There  is  no  definite  time  set  at  which  papers 
may  be  taken  out.  Some  succeed  in  the  very  bud  of  womanhood 
and  in  that  early  manhood  when  the  first  mustache  begins  to 
blossom  in  having  conferred  upon  them  the  dignity  of  citizenship, 
while  others  are  placed  upon  a  long  probation  before  being  per- 
mitted to  enter  this  blessed  state.  There  are  some  who  fare  still 
worse.  They  are  often  deluded  into  hoping  that  it  is  not  yet  too 
late,  and  the  verdict  comes  at  last  declaring  them  ineligible  and 
consigning  them  to  the  endless  misery  of  single  blessedness. 

In  this  state  of  matrimony  there  are  other  peculiar  laws  in  force. 
In  the  partnership  of  married  life,  no  matter  how  much  capital 
the  husband  may  bring  into  the  concern,  or  whether  the  fortune 
be  constituted  solely  by  the  wife's  dowry,  he  is  always  expected 
to  be  the  silent  partner;  or,  in  other  words,  when  the  husband  is 
rich,  he  has  nothing  at  all  to  say;  when  he  is  poor,  still  less.  He 
is  compensated  for  this  to  no  slight  extent,  however,  because  in 


Addresses.  295 

whatever  parts  he  may  be  assured  of  having  defects,  he  can  always 
boast  of  having  a  better  half. 

In  this  state  of  matrimony  there  is  a  remarkable  form  of  juris- 
prudence; most  quarrels  are  settled  by  compromise  and  concession, 
although  secession  is  not  altogether  impossible.  The  right  of  ex- 
patriation from  this  state  is  not  conceded,  but  it  is  occasionally 
resorted  to  as  a  dernier  ressort.  Among  the  prominent  cases  which 
present  themselves  for  adjudication  in  this  state  are  those  of  illegal 
attachments.  The  penal  code  is  also  characteristic;  one  of  the 
most  severe  punishments,  probably  inflicted  in  order  to  follow  out 
the  law,  "  For  the  wicked  there  shall  be  no  rest,"  is  to  force  poor 
husbands  with  wearied  limbs  and  sleepy  eyes  to  keep  themselves 
awake  with  the  sweet  lullaby;  but  there  is  no  way  to  evade  it  by 
proving  an  alibi.     ... 


ADDEESS  ON  THE  OCCASION  OF  THE  DEDICATION  OF 
A  NEWLY-ACQUIRED  PLOT  OF  GROUND,  DELIV- 
ERED AT  THE  SIMCHATH  TORAH  FESTIVAL  OF 
THE  HEBREW  HOSPITAL  AND  ASYLUM  ASSOCIA- 
TION OF  BALTIMORE  CITY,  OCTOBER  16,  1881. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 

This  day  of  rejoicing  has  been  fittingly  selected  for  the  celebra- 
tion of  an  important  event  in  the  history  of  our  cherished  institu- 
tion. You  all  remember  the  misgivings  that  hovered  phantom-like 
around  the  ceremonies  attending  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone, 
but  you  also  had  the  satisfaction  of  witnessing  the  walls  rise  safely, 
though  slowly,  upon  the  solid  foundation  laid  by  the  hands  of 
earnest  men.  You  also  remember  that  there  came  a  time  when 
even  the  stout  hearts  that  entered  so  heroically  upon  the  noble 
work  began  to  falter,  for  the  building,  far  from  .  .  .  com- 
pleted, stared  them  in  the  face;  .  .  .  the  treasury  had  been 
drained  of  its  last  penny,  and  all  means  of  replenishing  it  seemed 
to  have  been  exhausted ;  the  anxious  inquiries  of  impatient  creditors 
made  themselves  painfully  audible;  and  a  pessimistic  imagina- 
tion already  pictured  the  red  flag  flaunting  over  the  unfin- 
ished edifice.  Still  they  were  not  permitted  to  despair.  The  strug- 
gle was  renewed  with  fresh  vigor,  and  all  fears  that  the  project 
would  have  to  be  abandoned  were  effectually  dispelled,  for  a  band 
of  noble  women  became  the  standard-bearers  in  the  contest,  and  suc- 
cess was  assured. 

You  assembled  here  on  the  day  of  dedication,  and  you  beheld 
with  pride  the  completed  structure  in  its  fine  proportions  and  with 
its  satisfactory  appointments.     ...     I  call  to  mind  the  language 


Addresses.  297 

of  one  of  the  speakers,  who  made  the  very  stones  express  their 
humiliation  at  bearing  their  share  of  the  general  debt  which  hung 
as  a  .  .  .  cloud  over  the  building.  That  cloud  has  passed 
away  as  if  it  were  but  an  evanescent  shadow;  and,  though  the 
stones  have  not  become  silent,  they  speak  quite  a  different  language. 
They  bear  the  ineffaceable  record  of  human  misery  relieved,  of 
triumphant  conquests  of  disease,  of  tender  care  bestowed  upon  the 
stranger,  the  friendless,  and  the  unfortunate.     .     .     . 

And  there  the  institution  stands  with  its  noble  record,  a  pride 
to  all  who  have  contributed  to  its  support,  giving  the  most  flatter- 
ing testimony  to  the  humane  spirit  which  has  existed  in  our 
midst,  .  .  .  and  predicting  for  itself  continued  prosperity,  re- 
lying confidently  upon  the  affection  of  those  who  have  proved  them- 
selves so  faithful  and  so  generous  to  its  interests  in  the  past.  And 
there  it  has  stood,  a  beacon-light  to  the  unfortunate  ones  traveling 
through  the  dark  night  of  despair  with  pain  and  poverty  as  their 
only  companions,  rekindling  new  hopes  and  showing  where  there 
were  still  warm  hearts  pulsating  sympathetically  for  them,  when 
the  whole  world  seemed  cold  and  dreary.  How  many  an  unfortu- 
nate has  entered  its  portals,  either  racked  by  pain  or  emaciated  by 
the  pitiless  siege  of  disease  and  hunger,  or  frenzied  by  the  relent- 
less heat  of  a  burning  fever,  or  crippled  by  severe  accident,  or  ren- 
dered blind  in  the  assaults  to  which  old  age  falls  a  victim,  or  suf- 
fering from  some  other  ill  of  the  thousand  that  flesh  is  heir  to ! 
And  you  know  how  tenderly  they  have  been  received  and  how  ten- 
derly they  have  been  cared  for.  The  old  and  the  young,  the  citi- 
zen and  the  stranger,  the  Jew,  the  Christian,  and  the  unbeliever 
have  all  .  .  .  found  a  safe  refuge  here,  without  being  required 
to  present  any  credential  for  admission  other  than  that  which  mis- 
fortune .  .  .  supplies.  And  you  have  seen  them  again  when 
they  were  freed  from  pain,  when  their  fevers  were  extinguished, 
when  the  use  of  their  limbs  was  restored  to  them,  when  the  dark 


298  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

curtain  was  drawn  from  before  their  eyes,  when  they  were  helped 
in  so  many  ways  to  regain  their  health,  and  when  they  reached  that 
blessed  state  in  which  they  were  again  able  to  help  themselves. 
.  .  .  You  .  .  .  witnessed  their  joy  and  you  .  .  .  heard 
the  expressions  of  their  gratitude,  and  you  realized  how  insignifi- 
cant after  all  were  the  large  sums  of  money  that  were  devoted  to 
the  organization  and  support  of  the  institution,  when  compared 
to  the  incalculable  amount  of  good  which  it  has  been  enabled  to 
accomplish.  How  scanty  was  the  seed!  How  rich  has  been  the 
harvest!  But  the  seed  was  planted  by  willing  hands,  and  germi- 
nated under  the  oare  of  loving  hearts,  and  the  rain  came  in  "  his 
due  season,  the  first  rain  and  the  latter  rain,"  and  Heaven  smiled 
upon  the  growth. 

Let  us  rejoice  on  this  day  of  rejoicing,  and  let  us  be  grateful 
that  our  feeble  efforts  have  been  favored  by  a  kind  Provi- 
dence. Let  us  rejoice  that  we  have  not  been  unmindful  of  that 
voice  within  us  which  first  urged  us  to  the  undertaking,  .  .  . 
which  has  encouraged  us  amid  vicissitudes  and  disappointments, 
and  which  to-day  whispers  to  us  its  approving  words.  Let  us  re- 
joice that,  besides  providing  bounteously  for  the  sick,  we  have  also 
been  able  to  provide  ...  a  comfortable  home  for  the  infirm 
aged,  for  the  aged  who  have  lost  the  loved  partners  who  shared  with 
them  long  the  trials  of  life,  who  have  seen  consigned  to  the  grave 
the  children  upon  whom  they  hoped  to  lean  when  bent  by  years, 
and  who  in  their  decrepitude  would  otherwise  now  be  friendless, 
homeless  wanderers,  begging  for  alms.  How  we  loved  to  look 
upon  their  venerable  forms  and  to  observe  the  dignity  which  their 
presence  lent  to  the  institution!  I  have  met  here  those  who  are 
prominent  in  my  recollections  of  childhood,  whom  I  saw  as  actors 
in  the  busy  scenes  of  life.  I  knew  how  cruelly  fate  had  dealt  with 
them,  and  it  was  no  small  joy  to  me  in  my  maturity  to  see  them 


Addresses.  299 

so  well  provided  for  when  they  were  old  and  helpless.  .  .  .  You 
have  all  had  similar  experiences.    .    .    . 

And,  while  we  rejoice  in  looking  over  the  inventory  of  all  which 
this  institution  has  done  for  suffering  humanity,  let  us  not  for- 
get to  take  cognizance  of  the  still  greater  amount  of  good  which 
it  has  lavished  upon  us  individually,  and  upon  this  community  col- 
lectively. It  has  furnished  an  altar  upon  which  we  can  offer  our 
united  sacrifices;  it  has  fostered  that  noble  spirit  which  constantly 
reminds  us  that  we  are  members  of  a  great  brotherhood  which  ex- 
tends the  holiest  privileges  in  the  duties  which  it  exacts.  It  has 
been  one  of  the  elements  in  exerting  upon  our  sensibilities  that  re- 
fining influence  which  permits  us  to  exult  in  another's  weal  and 
to  feel  the  pangs  of  another's  woe.  ...  It  has  bound  us  to- 
gether more  strongly  in  all  that  is  good,  and  has  contributed  its 
share  to  render  more  despicable  all  that  is  base  and  ignoble.  It 
has  brushed  away  many  of  the  cobwebs  of  materialism  which  en- 
shroud the  mind,  and  has  let  in  the  light  of  elevated  thought.  It 
has  dealt  the  heaviest  blows  against  intolerance,  the  demon  that 
would  fain  make  distinctions  in  the  rights  of  men,  .  .  .  that 
always  questions  the  sincerity  of  others,  and  that  would  have  all 
thoughts  ground  out  in  the  mill  of  a  single  mind.  It  has  taught 
the  valuable  lesson  that  we  act  our  most  important  part  as  men 
when  we  extend  .  .  .  each  other  a  helping  hand.  It  has  freed 
poverty  from  that  shame  which  is  so  often  unjustly  attached  to  it, 
and  it  has  shown  that,  while  it  is  highly  honorable  to  give,  it 
should  be  no  humiliation  for  the  sufferer  to  accept.    .    .    . 

Let  us  renew  our  vows  of  fidelity  to  this  institution ;  let  us  stand 
by  each  other  in  the  support  of  all  other  good  institutions;  let  us 
preserve  the  harmony  which  has  hitherto  prevailed  among  us;  and 
Heaven  will  continue  to  shower  its  blessings  upon  our  community. 


ADDEESS  DELIVERED  AT  THE  SIMCHATH  TOEAH  FES- 
TIVAL OF  THE  HEBEEW  HOSPITAL  AND  ASYLUM 
ASSOCIATION,  1890. 

Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

We  meet  again  at  this  festive  season  to  join  hands  anew  and 
to  unite  our  hearts  anew  ia  the  interests  of  an  institution  which 
has  been  a  credit  to,  and  a  just  pride  of  the  Jewish  community  of 
this  city  these  twenty-two  years.  We  have  come  together  again 
to  rejoice  with  each  other  in  the  noble  work  it  has  done  in  the 
past,  and  to  offer  it  good  cheer  and  renewed  encouragement  for  its 
future  career.  It  is  an  inspiring  consciousness  to  be  co-laborers 
in  the  common  cause  which  this  institution  represents,  and  to  feel 
entitled  to  some  share  in  the  blessings  it  has  bestowed.  Gratify- 
ing as  its  past  history  must  be  to  every  one  who  may  have  con- 
tributed at  any  time  to  its  welfare,  it  is  especially  so  to  those  of  us 
who  have  known  it  in  its  earliest  infancy,  have  watched  its  growth 
during  its  youthful  years,  and  now  behold  it,  and  continue  to  be 
identified  with  it,  in  its  full  and  vigorous  development.  We  knew 
the  infant  when  the  clothes  with  which  it  was  supplied  were  much 
too  large  for  it;  we  saw  the  time  when  they  became  too  small, 
and  its  movements  were  hampered,  and  a  seam  had  to  be  opened 
here,  and  a  piece  had  to  be  added  there.  We  remember  its  early 
struggles,  and  therefore  we  can  fully  appreciate  the  solid  founda- 
tion upon  which  it  now  stands.  This  has  been  accomplished  by  the 
concentrated  efforts  of  good  men,  by  the  unremitting  labor  of  bet- 
ter women,  by  the  tender  care  of  willing  hands,  by  the  bounteous 
offerings  of  generous  hearts,  by  the  safe  guidance  of  wise  counsel, 
by  the  salutary  influence  of  an  undisturbed  harmony,  but,  above 


Addresses.  301 

all,  by  the  blessings  of  a  kind  Providence.  We  have  reason  to  be 
proud,  we  have  more  reason  to  be  grateful  that  we  possess  this 
hospital.  It  has  become  one  of  the  prominent  landmarks,  mark- 
ing the  corners  of  our  fields  to  which  those  in  need  may  come  and 
find  sustenance.  It  bears  the  record  of  how  the  stranger  has  met 
friends,  how  the  homeless  have  received  shelter,  how  the  desponding 
have  found  hope,  how  the  weak  have  been  given  strength,  how  the 
Buffering  have  been  relieved.  Yea,  a  landmark  it  has  become,  a 
landmark  not  forbidding  trespass,  but  extending  welcome,  a  land- 
mark not  indicating  what  should  be  kept  separate,  but  marking 
the  spot  where  dividing  lines  come  together.  When,  in  life's  fierce 
struggles,  through  the  spirit  of  selfishness,  from  which  none  of  us, 
perhaps,  is  entirely  free,  we  are  led  too  far  away  from  the  paths 
we  have  marked  out  for  ourselves,  landmarks  such  as  this  are  po- 
tent influences  to  lead  us  back  again  to  a  safe  starting  point,  and 
are  strong  safeguards  to  prevent  our  becoming  lost  to  the  duties 
we  owe  to  our  fellow  man.    .    .    . 

When  we  take  a  look  backward  and  review  the  time  from  the 
organization  of  this  hospital  to  the  present  hour,  we  find  it  a 
period  of  great  difference,  and,  indeed,  I  may  be  permitted  to  add, 
a  period  of  considerable  indifference  among  us,  difference  and  in- 
difference which,  if  not  counteracted,  would  have  had  the  tendency 
of  driving  us  farther  and  farther  away  from  each  other.  But, 
thank  God,  the  counteracting  power  has  not  been  wanting.  The 
humane  institutions  which  have  been  reared  in  our  midst,  of  which 
the  one  in  whose  cause  we  are  assembled  to-day  is  a  prominent  rep- 
resentative, have  had  a  solidifying  influence,  and  to  them  it  is 
largely  due  that  we  have  been  rescued  from  a  destructive  disinte- 
gration. The  hand  that  has  been  kindly  opened  to  the  needy  has 
gradually  acquired  a  tenderness  which  has  enabled  it  to  give  a 
more  friendly  grasp,  and  differences  have  been  forced  to  give  up 
much  of  their  previous  bitterness.     In  the  turmoil  of  the  differ- 


302  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

ences  which  have  largely  engaged  our  minds  we  fortunately  did  not 
fail  to  recognize  in  what  we  are  alike,  and  in  what  our  hearts  re- 
mained bound  together ;  and  there  grew  out  of  it  a  common  benevo- 
lence which  has  welcomed  the  stranger,  protected  the  widow,  and 
cared  for  the  poor;  which  has  given  this  institution  to  the  aged 
infirm,  and  to  the  indigent  sick;  which  has  provided  a  friendly 
home  for  the  unfortunate  orphan,  and  has  not  forgotten  its  duties 
to  the  dead.  And,  as  time  rolls  on,  and  we  take  into  account  the 
good  work  we  have  been  enabled  to  accomplish  by  this  union  of 
hearts,  we  recognize  more  and  more  that  we  are  much  more  alike 
than  we  were  wont  to  believe ;  we  begin  to  see  that  our  differences 
are  losing  their  sharp  outlines,  and  we  feel  an  irresistible  yearn- 
ing to  come  closer  and  closer  to  each  other.  And  when  we  assemble 
around  these  landmarks,  which  a  true  benevolence  has  so  firmly 
placed,  we  are  reminded  anew  that  we  are  the  ancient  standard- 
bearers  of  a  pure  religion  which  first  proclaimed  the  duties  of  man 
towards  man,  and  that  we  must  continue  to  bear  the  message  to 
all  mankind :  "  Thou  shall  open  thy  hand  wide  unto  thy  brother, 
to  thy  poor,  and  to  thy  needy,  in  thy  land."  "If  a  stranger  so- 
journeth  with  thee  in  your  land,  ye  shall  not  vex  him;  but  the 
stranger  that  dwelleth  with  you  shall  be  unto  you  as  one  bom 
among  you,  and  thou  shalt  love  him  as  thyself."  "  Thou  shalt  not 
remove  thy  neighbor's  landmark."  What  a  summary  of  duty  and 
toleration !  Let  us  continually  strive  to  prove  ourselves  worthy  of 
this  dignity  by  our  words  and  by  our  works,  by  our  admonition 
and  by  our  example.  Let  us  not  lose  faith  that  these  principles 
will  ultimately  prevail,  nor  be  utterly  dismayed  when  confronted 
by  the  refined  venom  of  German  Anti-Semitism,  or  by  Eussia's 
barbarous  tyranny.  Nations  have  come  and  nations  have  passed 
away,  but  the  laws  of  God  remain  and  will  eventually  conquer  the 
heart  of  man. 

There  is  no  better  way  of  showing  our  gratitude  for  the  blessings 


Addresses.  303 

we  enjoy  than  by  remembering  those  who  are  less  favorably  situ- 
ated. There  is  no  prayer  that  we  can  hope  to  be  more  worthy  of 
securing  for  us  further  protection  than  the  one  that  comes  from 
the  heart  which  is  in  true  sympathy  with  the  stricken  brother.  In 
liberally  supporting  an  institution  like  this  hospital  we  testify  that 
we  have  not  proved  entirely  faithless  to  the  old  law.  Here  we 
recognize  the  sufferer  as  our  brother  whether  he  was  "  bom  among 
you  "  or  whether  he  reaches  us  by  long  travels  through  far  distant 
lands;  whether  he  speaks  to  us  in  our  own  language,  or  appeals  to 
us  in  a  foreign  tongue.  We  understand  his  claims  and  are  ready 
to  do  him  justice,  be  he  one  of  us  or  reared  in  another  faith.  Here 
we  find  the  widest  field  to  practice  the  truest  humanity,  that  which 
recognizes  the  brother,  the  man,  through  the  rags  that  misfortune 
has  clothed  him  in,  that  which  duly  appreciates  the  patience,  the 
courage,  the  heroism  with  which  suffering  is  often  borne,  that  which 
is  forgiving  towards  the  shortcomings  and  weaknesses  of  poor 
human  nature,  that  which  does  not  set  itself  up  as  a  rigid  judge  to 
decide  whether  one  suffering  is  fully  deserving  of  help,  but  will 
willingly  help  whenever  it  can, — that  humanity  which,  under  all 
circumstances,  is  guided  solely  by  the  command,  "  Thou  shalt  open 
thy  hand  wide  unto  thy  brother,  to  thy  poor,  to  thy  needy." 

There  are  those  who  exact  a  very  high  standard  of  human  ex- 
cellence of  him  who  needs  help.  They  carefully  compute  how 
much  of  his  distress  was  brought  on  by  himself.  They  would  like 
to  know  how  much  evil  he  has  done  in  the  past,  and  are  ready  to 
predict  how  much  he  will  sin  in  the  future.  They  hesitate  to  ex- 
tend a  helping  hand,  lest  by  such  help  they  may  be  encouraging 
unworthiness.  They  demand  that  the  morals  of  others  should  be 
rated  at  least  at  par,  and  would  not  consider  it  anything  remark- 
able if  they  were  even  above  par,  while  they  allow  themselves  quite 
a  liberal  discount.  The  sentiment  which  called  this  institution 
into  being  is  of  a  higher  order.     It  directs  us  to  be  sure  that  we  do 


304  Aakok  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

our  duty  fully  in  alleviating  human  suffering.  It  enjoins  upon 
us  to  help,  and  not  to  judge.  It  commands  us  to  give  liberally 
and  to  forgive  willingly.  It  teaches  the  valuable  lesson  that  we 
are  members  of  the  common  human  family,  to  which  we  are  all 
indebted  in  a  thousand  ways  for  what  we  are  and  for  what  we 
enjoy  and  for  what  we  possess,  and  that  there  is  no  plea  upon 
which  we  can  claim  exemption  from  contributing  something  to  the 
welfare  of  others,  something  to  the  common  good.  The  brightest 
talents,  no  matter  how  much  they  may  commonly  be  admired,  are 
prostituted,  if  not  directed  in  some  measure  to  promote  the  happi- 
ness of  others.  High  stations  lose  their  greatest  dignity  if  a  large 
share  of  their  concern  is  not  bestowed  upon  the  lowly  and  the  un- 
fortunate. Wealth  becomes  valueless,  and  power  is  never  held  by 
a  good  title,  unless  they  shed  comfort  in  the  homes  of  the  poor 
and  upon  the  needy  and  distressed  wherever  they  may  be  found. 

We  are  nothing  by  ourselves,  but,  however  humble,  we  can  all  be- 
come important  links  in  the  chain  that  should  hold  the  human 
family  together  in  a  bond  which  excludes  no  one,  but  embraces  all 
mankind  in  one  brotherhood.  We  can  hold  to  each  other  best  by 
working  together  in  doing  good.  It  is  this  working  together  in 
doing  good  in  everything  which  relates  to  the  elevation  of  man  that 
marks  the  highest  form  of  civilization.  It  is  this  working  together 
which  finds  no  task  too  difficult,  no  field  too  great.  It  is  not  lim- 
ited in  space,  nor  restricted  in  time.  The  power  required  for  the 
accomplishment  of  great  results  can  be  supplied  by  the  aggregate 
contributions  of  many  willing  hands,  and  those  furnished  by  the 
weakest  are  never  insignificant.  In  its  program  is  embraced  every- 
thing that  can  extend  human  happiness,  everything  that  can  refine 
the  human  heart,  everything  that  can  enrich  the  human  intellect. 
It  builds  hospitals,  establishes  asylums,  promotes  schools  of  learn- 
ing, provides  libraries,  encourages  art.  The  whole  earth  is  its 
workshop,  and  the  clang  of  its  labor  reverberates  over  the  mountains 


Addresses.  305 

and  across  the  sea;  its  echoes  evoke  a  harmony  which  binds  the 
continents  together.  It  never  ceases,  for  one  generation  impresses 
the  next  into  its  service,  and  it  is  the  most  precious  legacy  which 
the  past  has  bequeathed  to  us.  And  this  work  will  continue,  and 
will  be  reenforced  when  it  is  wanting,  until  finally  everywhere 
"  thy  brother,  thy  poor,  and  thy  needy  "  will  find  thy  hand  wide 
open  unto  them,  and  the  stranger  will  not  be  vexed. 

The  progress  which  marks  our  day  has,  by  the  abolition  of  time 
and  space,  brought  peoples  closer  together  in  their  intercourse  with 
each  other.  Landmarks  are  no  longer  so  far  apart.  Nations  are 
more  and  more  becoming  neighbors.  They  will  all  find  their  way 
best  when  they  are  guided  by  their  own  landmarks.  We  live  among 
all  the  nations  and  we  still  have  to  bear  the  message,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  remove  thy  neighbor's  landmark."  Nations  are  like  individuals 
in  this,  that  they  may  reach  the  same  destination  although  they 
choose  a  very  different  starting  point.  By  making  an  unfavorable 
start  they  may  follow  circuitous  paths,  and  long  delays  may  occur, 
but  their  landmarks  must  be  respected,  lest  they  go  altogether 
astray.  It  should  be  our  concern  that  we  ever  preserve  our  land- 
marks. How  we  place  them,  where  we  place  them,  and  how  we 
maintain  them  will  indicate  to  the  world  whether  we  have  proven 
ourselves  worthy  of  the  trust  committed  to  our  charge.  Israel  has 
been  the  stranger  that  has  been  vexed  in  many  lands  these  many 
centuries.  Let  us  hope  that  the  time  will  soon  dawn  when  he  will 
everywhere  be  recognized  as  a  brother;  and,  as  he  is  the  best  wit- 
ness to  tell  how  the  world  stands  in  its  relation  to  truth,  justice, 
and  toleration,  so  is  he  to  testify  for  or  against  himself  concerning 
his  conduct  as  the  custodian  of  God's  holy  law.  Condemning  the 
sin  of  others  does  not  suffice  to  establish  our  own  virtue.  Some- 
thing more  tangible  is  required  to  entitle  us  to  credit.  We  shall 
be  asked,  "  Where  are  your  landmarks  ?  "  The  story  of  the  poor 
and  the  needy  will  be  heard,  and  will  be  believed.     The  stranger's 


306  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

evidence  cannot  be  ruled  out.  Let  us  hope  that  the  judgment  will 
be  rendered  in  our  favor.  Let  us  further  hope  that  those  who  have 
been  our  accusers  will  become  our  friends,  and  that,  as  time  rolls 
on,  there  will  be  more  and  more  who  are  brothers,  and  fewer  who 
are  strangers.  Let  us  be  grateful  that  our  lot  has  been  cast  in  a 
blessed  land  where  the  cultivation  of  these  sentiments  has  found  a 
fertile  soil,  a  land  in  which  one  is  rated  according  to  what  he  is, 
and  not  according  to  who  he  is,  a  land  in  which  one  is  held  re- 
sponsible only  for  what  he  does,  not  for  what  he  believes. 

May  this  blessed  land,  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  be- 
come the  landmark  by  which  human  rights  shall  firmly  be  estab- 
lished forever. 


ADDEESS  AT  THE  PUEIM  BANQUET  HELD  BY  THE 
HEBKEW  LADIES'  OEPHANS'  AID  SOCIETY,  FEB- 
EUAEY  27,  1885. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 

It  is  my  distinguished  privilege  this  evening  to  speak  to  you  for 
the  ladies  of  the  Orphans'  Aid  Society  in  behalf  of  an  object  which 
is  dear  to  their  hearts  and  which  is  equally  dear  to  you, — the  He- 
brew Orphan  Asylum  of  Baltimore.  Speaking  for  the  ladies,  as 
I  do,  I  may  have  committed  a  great  error  in  not  consulting  them 
first  regarding  the  points  upon  which  my  remarks  should  touch,  for 
they  know  well  how  to  touch  the  deepest  sympathies  and  how  to 
evoke  the  most  generous  responses;  and  in  neglecting  to  do  this, 
it  was  not,  I  must  confess,  from  any  consideration  that  in  pursuing 
that  course  I  would  touch  your  sympathies  either  too  deeply  or 
cause  you  to  respond  too  generously.  I  was  actuated  rather  by  the 
conviction  that  you  not  only  knew  what  the  ladies  wanted  you  to 
do  here,  besides  spending  a  very  pleasant  evening  among  your 
friends  and  among  the  friends  of  a  cherished  institution,  but  that 
you  were  ready  and  willing  to  act  as  you  have  done  on  previous 
.  .  .  occasions,  in  that  liberal  spirit  which  betokens  at  once  your 
continued  devotion  to  the  institution  in  whose  interest  you  have 
assembled,  and  your  warm  appreciation  of  the  noble,  indefatigable, 
and  self-sacrificing  spirit  which  the  ladies  have  again  exhibited  in 
making  this  festivity  a  success. 

If  I  should  yield  to  the  temptation  of  portraying  to  you  the 
beneficent  work  which  our  Orphan  Asylum  has  accomplished,  how 
it  first  manifested  its  existence,  how  it  overcame  obstacles  which 
seemed  almost  unsurmountable,  even  passing  through  the  ordeal  of 


308  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

fire,  and  finally  assumed  proportions  which  no  one  had  dreamed  of, 
you  would  interrupt  me  and  say,  "  Stop  now,  you  are  introducing 
to  us  an  old  and  a  very  intimate  acquaintance."  Yes,  our  Orphan 
Asylum  is  the  product  of  the  general  benevolent  spirit  which  has 
always  existed  in  our  community,  to  the  advancement  of  whose 
interests  every  generous  hand  has  contributed  a  share,  and  in  whose 
continued  prosperity  every  benevolent  heart  has  felt  a  deep  inter- 
est. To  which  of  you  is  it  a  stranger  ?  You  know  who  were  pres- 
ent at  its  birth,  who  stood  around  its  cradle  anxiously  watching 
and  invoking  the  blessings  of  Heaven  that  no  evil  should  befall 
it.  You  know  who  guarded  its  early  steps  and  lovingly  provided 
fresh  air  and  sunshine  and  wholesome  nourishment,  and  finally 
rejoiced,  as  only  loving  hearts  can  rejoice,  when  it  attained  that 
vigorous  youth,  denoting  future  health  and  strength  and  life.  They 
were  your  fathers,  your  mothers,  your  brothers,  your  sisters,  your 
friends,  yourselves. 

And  although  our  Orphan  Asylum  has  now  reached  such  a  growth 
that  it  no  longer  requires  your  solicitude,  but  has  become  the  pride 
of  the  Israelites  of  Baltimore  and  a  credit  to  the  city,  it  still  needs 
your  love,  it  still  needs  your  helping  hand ;  and  the  ladies  who 
know  the  needs  of  the  institution  have  invited  you  around  this 
festive  board  to  acquaint  you  with  this  fact.  They  have  chosen  a 
very  opportune  time,  not  only  in  consideration  of  the  depleted  con- 
dition of  the  treasury  at  this  season  of  the  year,  but  in  commemo- 
rating a  great  national  event  at  this  season  we  are  reminded  of  a 
very  early  and  exceedingly  well-conducted  Orphan  Asylum,  prob- 
ably the  first  in  the  history  of  our  people.  It  is  true  it  was  a  very 
small  affair,  but  not  of  mean  significance,  for  Mordecai  was  its 
superintendent,  and  the  successful  manner  in  which  it  was  con- 
ducted is  fully  established  by  the  careful  training  which  Esther, 
our  heroine,  received  under  its  hospitable  roof  and  by  the  many  em- 
bellishments of  character  with  which  she  entered  the  world.     She 


Addresses.  309 

received  the  education  of  a  simple  Jewish  maiden,  but  this  qualified 
her  to  become  the  queen  of  a  great  empire.  Her  example  has  had 
an  influence  upon  every  true  Jewish  maiden  ever  since,  and  has  be- 
stowed upon  them  such  charms  that,  if  there  were  not  so  deplorable 
a  scarcity  of  kings,  they  all  would  become  queens. 

The  ladies  of  the  Orphans'  Aid  Society  have  not  only  cultivated 
and  developed  those  graces  which  in  Esther  shone  so  bright  in  the 
Persian  court,  but  they  have  adopted  her  methods  of  accomplish- 
ing great  results;  for,  when  the  Mordecais  of  the  Orphan  Asylum 
send  them  doleful  reports  of  an  empty  treasury,  they  prepare  a 
great  feast  and  gladden  your  hearts,  and  deliverance  is  sure  to 
follow. 

You  all  know,  no  doubt,  that  at  one  time  in  Jewish  history  the 
Jews  were  forbidden  to  read  the  weekly  portion  of  the  law  in  the 
Sabbath  service  and,  to  prevent  its  influence  from  being  lost,  a 
chapter  was  selected  from  the  prophets  which  presented  some  strong 
analogy.  Though  none  of  you  are  prevented  from  so  doing,  I  fear 
there  may  be  some  who  will  not  be  present  at  the  public  reading  of 
the  book  of  Esther  in  the  synagogues;  to  them,  this  festival  will 
serve  as  the  Haftarah,  because,  in  giving  your  full  sympathy  to  our 
orphans,  the  image  of  Esther  will  rise  before  you,  for  she  came 
from  this  class,  and,  with  her  image  before  you,  the  great  drama 
in  which  she  assumed  so  prominent  a  role  cannot  be  forgotten  by 
you.  And,  when  you  will  again  visit  the  Orphan  Asylum,  you  will 
see  in  each  little  girl  a  future  beautiful  Esther,  chaste,  loving, 
lovable,  a  true  Jewish  maiden,  clinging  to  her  faith  and  clinging  to 
her  people;  and  in  every  little  boy  a  future  Mordecai,  pious,  brave, 
unbending,  and  yet  so  tender  that  in  reviewing  the  character  of 
Mordecai  the  great,  he  will  admire  most  in  him  the  fact  that  he 
adopted  the  little  Esther  as  his  child. 


21 


"CHAEITY,"  AN  ADDEESS  DELIVERED  AT  THE  AN- 
NUAL BANQUET  OP  THE  HEBEEW  BENEVOLENT 
SOCIETY,  DECEMBEE  1,  1892. 

Mr.  President  : 

It  is  an  inspiring  scene  which  is  presented  by  this  large  assembly, 
brought  together  in  response  to  the  annual  call  of  this  time-hon- 
ored society.  It  is  at  all  times  gratifying  to  meet  friends,  to  meet 
so  many  friends  with  happy  faces  beaming  with  good  cheer,  extend- 
ing the  friendly  hand,  and  speaking  the  kindly  word;  it  is  especi- 
ally gratifying  to  be  among  those  who  have  renewed  on  this  occa- 
sion their  pledge  of  loyalty  to  a  cause  which,  while  primarily  aim- 
ing at  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  poor  and  unfortu- 
nate, is  no  less  to  be  recognized  for  the  elevating  influence  it 
exerts  upon  its  promoters  as  well;  a  cause  which  not  only  lends 
hope,  encouragement,  and  support  to  the  needy,  but  offers  wealth 
the  only  means  of  investing  itself  with  dignity,  a  cause  which  unites 
all  mankind  in  one  grand  brotherhood. 

We  have  met  on  this  occasion  in  the  interests  of  an  institution 
which  represents  organized  charity.  Organized  charity  signifies 
charity  supported  by  means  contributed  by  the  many  and  dis- 
tributed by  methods  thought  out  and  administered  by  the  few.  The 
object  of  such  organization  is  obvious.  It  is  to  give  charity  its 
greatest  efficiency,  to  offer  it  the  widest  scope,  and  to  guard  it 
against  imposition.  It  means  more.  Every  enlightened  commu- 
nity recognizes  its  collective  duty  to  provide  for  the  alleviation  of 
misery  inflicted  by  the  vicissitudes  of  life  for  which  the  individual 
sufferer  cannot  provide,  unaided.  It  means  that  by  such  organi- 
zations the  community  as  a  body  assumes  the  care  of  its  suffering 


Addresses.  311 

members,  regarding  them  as  an  integral  part  of  itself,  for,  as  the 
living  organism  cannot  escape  more  or  less  injury  from  the  sufEer- 
ing  of  its  parts,  neither  can  society  remain  insensible  to  the  suffer- 
ing of  any  of  its  members  without  deteriorating  in  its  moral  tone. 
In  all  organisms  in  nature,  when  an  individual  organ  is  stricken, 
the  other  unaffected  organs  combine  to  bring  relief  to  the  suffering 
one,  by  each  contributing  as  much  as  it  is  able,  illustrating  fully 
what  is  meant  by  "  Isli  Ke-Mattenath  Yado,"  "  each  according  to 
his  ability."  So  long  as  the  individual  parts  of  an  organism  busy 
themselves  with  the  work  of  repair  of  a  suffering  member,  the  dis- 
ease may  safely  be  regarded  as  one  of  local  character;  whereas, 
whenever  a  suffering  member  in  such  an  organism  seems  to  be 
abandoned  to  its  fate,  the  disease  may  be  designated  as  one  more 
or  less  due  to  constitutional  vitiation,  and  consequently  the  well- 
being  of  the  whole  organism  may  be  regarded  as  imperiled.  "We 
observe  the  analogue  of  this  in  society.  "Whenever  want  overtakes 
an  individual  or  dire  poverty  invades  a  family,  or  even  many  fami- 
lies, the  misfortune  may  be  looked  upon  as  mitigated  when  hun- 
dreds of  unseen  hands  are  ready  to  bring  relief,  or  better  still,  as 
the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society  has  illustrated  these  many  years, 
when  these  unseen  hands  have  already  placed  in  reserve  the  means 
to  meet  the  emergency.  The  fulness  and  the  promptness  and  the 
tenderness  with  which  this  relief  is  administered  supply  the  meas- 
ure by  which  the  moral  development  of  society  can  accurately  be 
gauged.  On  the  other  hand,  if  society  could  remain  unconcerned 
about  the  poor  and  needy,  such  a  society  would  soon  be  threatened 
with  a  degree  of  moral  degradation  which  it  would  be  forced,  for 
the  sake  of  its  own  safety,  to  provide  against. 

From  this  discussion  of  the  duty  which  society  owes  to  its  poor 

and  needy  it  becomes  apparent  that  it  is  a  duty  which  it  owes  to 

^itself.     Every  one  whose  means  exceed  his  needs  is  therefore  in 

duty  bound,  in  honor  bound,  to  contribute  his  share  to  organized 


313  Aaeon"  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

charity.  There  is  no  one  so  situated  that  he  does  not  owe  much 
to  society.  There  are  few  so  fortunate  that,  even  if  so  inclined, 
they  could  wholly  liquidate  that  debt.  There  are  still  fewer  whose 
achievements  have  been  so  great  as  to  entitle  them  to  a  settlement 
in  full  for  all  that  society  has  done  for  them,  showing  a  balance  in 
their  favor.  Ordinary  mortals  can  hardly  aspire  to  do  more  at 
their  very  best  than  offer  a  decent  acknowledgment  of  favors  re- 
ceived, and  make  a  partial  payment  on  account. 

Organized  charity  does  not  preclude  individual  charity.  There 
is  plenty  of  room  and  there  is  sufficient  demand  for  both.  No 
man,  however,  can  justify  himself  in  withdrawing  his  support  from 
the  public  work  by  the  private  charity  he  may  choose  to  give. 
Upon  such  men  bear  the  forcible  words  of  the  great  teacher  Hillel, 
"  Separate  not  thyself  from  the  congregation."  Society  could  not 
afford  to  risk  its  welfare  by  relying  upon  the  spontaneous  but  dis- 
concerted efforts  of  its  individual  members  in  caring  for  the  poor. 
This  method,  besides  having  the  disadvantage  of  inefficiency,  has 
against  it  the  formidable  objection  that  the  poor  man,  instead  of 
presenting  himself  as  a  beneficiary  with  just  claims,  is  driven  to  the 
degradation  of  beggary  and  forced  to  rely  upon  the  pity  which 
the  story  of  his  suffering  may  excite.  The  poor  man  is  "  a  man 
for  a'  that."  He  has  a  manhood  to  preserve  which  he  has  a  right 
in  all  cases  to  hope  will  survive  his  poverty.  He  should  not  be 
left  to  grope  his  way,  nor  forced  to  expose  his  condition  in  the 
market  place.  He  should  readily  meet  those  who  will  take  his 
hand  and  help  him  to  find  the  road  which  will  lead  him  to  a  brighter 
day.  The  pain  of  poverty  is  in  itself  hard  enough  to  bear;  he 
should  be  spared  its  humiliation.  The  bread  that  is  given  him 
should  not  be  poisoned  by  bitter  words.  His  faults  should  not 
weigh  too  heavily  against  him,  for  he  has  already  paid  the  penalty 
by  his  poverty.  His  accuser  should  remember  in  the  testimony  he 
gives  that  he  himself  is  not  perfect  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and  that  he 


Addresses.  313 

may  have  a  large  account  for  M^hich  he  will  some  day  have  to  plead 
for  forgiveness.  There  is  no  code  according  to  which  it  could 
be  ruled  that  the  poor  man  must  be  better  than  others,  and,  if  his 
poverty  has  made  him  worse,  he  has  a  double  claim  upon  our 
sympathy. 

These  are  sentiments  which  form  the  basis  upon  which  this 
society  has  been  reared,  and  out  of  which  its  methods  have  been 
developed.  The  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society,  indeed,  may  be  looked 
upon  as  a  great  corporation.  The  poor  own  the  preferred  shares, 
and  we  hold  the  common  stock,  upon  which  we  are  willing  to  pay 
our  annual  assessment.  We  come  together  once  a  year  to  hear  the 
report  read,  and  to  contribute  the  means  by  which  the  dividends 
on  the  preferred  shares  are  to  be  declared.  When  the  emergency 
has  arisen,  we  have  been  known  to  meet  more  than  once  a  year. 
This  society  differs  from  a  corporation  in  general  in  that  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  it  does  possess  a  soul;  and,  possessing  a  soul, 
and  a  very  noble  soul,  it  differs  still  more  from  corporations  in 
general  in  that  it  has  adopted  the  rule  that,  the  harder  the  times, 
the  bigger  should  be  the  dividend.  The  preferred  shares  are  fre- 
quently transferred  on  the  books  of  the  society,  and,  a  fact  to  as- 
tonish the  ordinary  financier,  these  books  show  that  occasionally 
the  preferred  shares  have  been  relinquished  by  their  holders  and 
the  common  stock  accepted  in  their  stead.  Unfortunately,  the 
books  also  show  that  at  times  transfers  have  taken  a  sadder  turn, 
for  some  who  long  held  the  common  stock  were  at  last  forced  to 
exchange  it  for  preferred  shares.  So  intense  has  been  the  pride 
of  many  in  the  good  name  of  this  corporation  that  they  made  ample 
provision  that,  after  their  death,  the  assessment  upon  the  amount 
representing  their  share  of  common  stock  should  continue  to  be 
paid. 

It  is  not  uncommon  that  common  stock  is  subjected  to  a  process 
which   is   called   watering.      Ours    has   not   escaped   the   general 


314  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

fate.  The  water  used,  however,  was  not  that  which  would  cause 
a  deluge,  but  it  was  the  refreshing  dew  from  Heaven  and  the 
blessed  rain,  so  that  there  might  be  gathered  "  thy  corn,  thy  wine, 
and  thine  oil." 

Charity  is  indeed  a  noble  virtue.  It  is  Heaven-born,  and  sent 
into  the  world  as  the  grand  ambassador  from  the  high  court  above 
to  give  succor  to  the  poor,  to  be  the  protector  of  the  widow  and  the 
orphan,  and  to  be  the  ministering  angel  wherever  misfortune  has 
laid  its  heavy  hand.  There  is  no  consciousness  in  which  we  may 
more  truly  rejoice  than  that  of  fully  understanding  its  holy  mis- 
sion; there  is  nothing  that  can  bestow  upon  us  greater  honor  than 
meritorious  service  in  its  cause.  Its  ministry  dates  from  the  dawn 
of  time,  and  civilization  bears  more  and  more  the  impress  of  its 
salutary  influence.  It  never  fails  to  raise  its  solemn  protest  wher- 
ever prejudice,  intolerance,  and  persecution  have  sown  their  bane- 
ful seed;  and,  although  it  may  not  always  secure  for  itself  a  suc- 
cessful hearing  at  the  moment,  it  never  speaks  entirely  in  vain, 
for  its  echoes  reverberate  through  time.  Charity,  however,  an- 
nounces its  approach  much  more  often  in  loving  smiles,  speaking 
its  words  in  touching  strains,  and  manifesting  its  presence  in  grace- 
ful form.  It  will  forever  hold  up  in  flaming  letters  the  genealogy 
of  man,  reaching  to  the  one  great  Father;  and  it  will  never  cease 
to  demand  that  all  the  children  of  God  regard  each  other  as 
brothers. 


ADDEESS  DELIVERED  AT  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  OF 
THE  BALTIMOEE  BRANCH  OF  THE  ALLIANCE 
ISRAELITE  UNIVERSELLE,  MARCH  19,  1893. 

.  .  .  The  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle  was  established  at  a 
time  which  may  properly  be  regarded  as  a  golden  age  by  our 
European  coreligionists.  Full  participation  in  all  political  rights 
had  been  accorded  our  brethren  in  France.  In  England  disabili- 
ties had  been  relegated  to  the  story  of  the  past  by  the  progress  of 
enlightenment  which  distinguishes  that  country.  In  Germany  the 
ghettoes  had  disappeared,  and  those  who  had  so  long  been  their 
unfortunate  inhabitants  could  step  out  into  and  breathe  more 
freely  in  the  fresh  air  of  freedom,  and  realize  that  an  Israelite 
could  have  rights  in  the  state  as  well  as  duties.  In  Austria  a  new 
era  had  dawned.  In  the  great  struggle  for  a  fuller  recognition  of 
the  rights  of  the  many  nationalities  comprising  that  great  empire, 
there  came  a  solution  on  the  side  of  right,  in  the  benefits  of  which 
our  brethren  were  accorded  a  liberal  share.  Even  in  the  domain 
of  the  Czar  the  condition  of  our  brethren  had  materially  improved 
under  the  influence  of  Alexander  II. ;  and,  while  they  had  still  to 
suffer  from  oppressive  laws,  their  lot  had  been  made  so  much 
more  tolerable  that  they  were  comparatively  content.  Harold 
Frederic  gives  a  very  graphic  account  of  this  period  in  his  excel- 
lent book,  "  The  New  Exodus,"  describing  under  the  name  of  the 
"  Golden  Age  "  a  period  which  every  one  must  acknowledge  falls 
very  far  short  of  being  worthy  of  modern  civilization.  But  still, 
as  Russian  despotism  had  somewhat  relented,  the  hope  was  enter- 
tained that  the  example  of  the  more  civilized  nations  would  before 
long  be  more  fully  followed.     It  was  a  hopeful  period,  and  the 


316  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M,  D. 

organization  of  the  Alliance  Israelite  UniverseUe  was  opportune. 
The  objects  formulated  at  that  time,  for  which  it  has  uninter- 
ruptedly labored  since,  are,  first,  to  secure  equality  for  Israelites 
everywhere  and  to  promote  their  moral  advancement;  second,  to 
lend  material  aid  to  those  who  suffer  because  of  their  being  Israel- 
ites ;  third,  to  promote  publications  favoring  these  objects. 

The  establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools  in  the  Orient  to 
foster  European  culture  and  encourage  industrial  pursuits  offered 
a  wide  field  for  the  application  of  these  principles,  and  up  to  recent 
years  formed  almost  exclusively  the  work  of  the  Alliance.  The 
persecutions  to  which  our  brethren  in  Eussia  were  subjected  in 
1882,  however,  and  the  renewal  and  intensification  in  1890  of  these 
persecutions,  which  continue  unabated  up  to  this  time,  added  a 
very  sad  work  to  the  activities  which  it  had  hitherto  assumed. 
Every  avenue  by  which  the  unfortunate  ones  could  escape  from  this 
annihilating  oppression  was  availed  of,  and  it  was  mainly  the 
representatives  of  the  Alliance  who  directed  this  exodus  and  dis- 
tributed the  means  that  had  been  contributed  for  the  relief  of  the 
misery  by  which  it  was  attended.  The  work  which  the  Alliance 
has  done  in  bringing  forward  the  men  and  in  organizing  the  various 
committees  to  deal  with  the  questions  arising  out  of  this  persecution 
will  ever  be  most  creditably  connected  with  what  will  be  known  in 
history  as  the  memorable  martyrdom  of  the  Eussian  Jews  towards 
the  close  of  the  great  nineteenth  century.  When  that  prince  of 
philanthropists,  Baron  Maurice  de  Hirsch,  conceived  in  1889  the 
project  of  his  munificent  foundation  for  aiding  Eussian  immigrants 
in  America  in  their  early  struggles,  to  save  them  from  pauperism, 
and  to  make  it  possible  for  them  to  secure  within  a  short  time  a 
livelihood  in  honorable  pursuits,  it  was  to  the  Alliance  that  he 
looked  for  the  initiatory  movement  toward  the  consummation  of 
his  purpose.  The  first  communication  which  reached  America  on 
this  subject  was  from  the  central  body  of  the  Alliance  in  Paris  and 


Addresses.  317 

was  directed  to  Moses  A.  Dropsie,  Esq.,  for  many  years  President 
of  the  Philadelphia  branch  of  the  Alliance,  and  to  Judge  Myer  A. 
Isaacs,  similarly  connected  with  the  branch  in  New  York,  and  a 
member  of  the  Central  Committee.  This  communication  requested 
that  these  gentlemen  should  invite  to  a  conference  others  whom 
they  might  select,  to  devise  a  plan  for  carrying  out  the  Baron's 
object.  I  had  the  honor  of  being  one  of  those  invited  to  this  con- 
ference, which  took  place  in  Philadelphia.  The  Central  Commit- 
tee of  the  Baron  de  Hirsch  Fund  was  organized  in  1890,  and  Judge 
Isaacs  was  made  President  thereof.  The  honor  of  attending  the 
conference  in  Philadelphia,  and  my  appointment  as  Chairman  of 
the  Baron  de  Hirsch  Committee  of  Baltimore,  I  undoubtedly  owe 
to  my  connection  with  this  branch. 

The  Alliance  has  done  a  very  important  work  in  bringing  into 
touch  with  each  other  men  in  very  distant  parts  of  the  world  who 
are  willing  to  listen  to  appeals  that  come  from  afar  and  are  ready 
to  join  hands  in  extending  that  refined  benevolence  which  can  feel 
for  the  wants  of  others,  though  they  dwell  in  remote  lands,  and 
who  can  understand  misery,  though  it  be  expressed  in  a  strange 
tongue.     .     .     .^ 

*The  remainder  of  the  address  consists  of  a  detailed  account  of  the 
various  activities  of  the  Alliance. 


1 


"  A  TEIP  TO  PALESTINE,"  AN  ADDRESS  READ  BEFORE 
THE  YOUNG  MEN'S  HEBREW  ASSOCIATION  OF 
NEW  YORK,  FEBRUARY  25,  1899. 

Palestine  has  always  held  a  high  place  in  the  affections  of  the 
Jews.  The  hope  of  eventually  returning  to  their  old  home  sus- 
tained them  in  their  sad  wanderings  during  eighteen  centuries. 
Driven  from  place  to  place,  they  remained  a  homeless  nation.  Now 
and  then  a  short  rest  was  granted,  and  they  dreamed  that  they 
had  found  a  new  home;  but,  alas!  it  was  but  a  dream.  What 
wonder,  then,  that  in  late  years,  when  almost  the  whole  world  has 
simultaneously  risen  against  them  with  a  fierceness  and  a  cruelty 
that  has  seldom  been  equalled  in  past  ages,  thousands  upon  thou- 
sands have  sought  homes  in  that  land  towards  which  they  had 
turned  in  their  prayers  during  the  years  of  their  persecution,  to 
that  land  in  which  their  ancestors  had  received  the  divine  revela- 
tion, to  that  land  which  had  been  the  forum  of  their  prophets,  to 
that  land  in  which  first  was  heard  the  holy  song  of  their  inspired 
poets.  Some  who  had  struggled  and  suffered,  who  were  content 
still  to  suffer,  but  could  struggle  no  longer,  came  to  pass  their 
last  days  in  prayer  and  to  die  in  their  old  home;  and  some  came 
who  had  suffered  and  struggled,  and  who  were  willing  to  suffer 
and  struggle  still  further,  to  become  the  pioneers  in  the  great  work 
of  building  a  new  home  where  their  old  home  had  stood,  in  which 
the  nation  should  undergo  such  a  regeneration  as  would  insure  it 
peace  at  home,  secure  respect  for  its  children  everywhere,  and 
inaugurate  the  time  when  the  world  shall  acknowledge  that  Israel 
has  become  a  blessing  to  all  the  nations. 

To  see  that  Old  Home,  to  gaze  upon  the  places  that  have  been 


Addresses.  319 

the  scenes  of  events  so  memorable  in  history,  to  mingle  my  tears 
with  those  of  our  brethren  who  weep  at  the  wailing  place  for  the 
desolation  which  the  despoiler  has  wrought,  and  to  grasp  the  strong 
and  friendly  hands  of  those  who  have  begun  the  building  of  the 
New  Home,  was  the  object  of  the  journey  whose  story  I  am  about 
to  tell.     .     .     . 

Leaving  New  York  on  the  16th  of  April  last,  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Friedenwald,  a  delightful  voyage  of  eight  days  brought  us 
to  Gibraltar;  in  four  days  more  we  reached  Naples.  .  .  .  Two 
days  more,  and  we  were  carried  to  Port  Said;  from  whence  the 
Egyptian  Eailway  conveyed  us  to  Cairo  in  a  few  hours.    .    .    . 

The  trip  [from  Alexandria  to  Jaffa]  lasted  two  days.  Jaffa 
lies  directly  on  the  coast,  with  no  harbor  to  break  the  force  of 
the  sea,  and  therefore  does  not  always  offer  a  kind  welcome  to  the 
traveler  who  seeks  to  disembark  there.  During  fine  weather 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  landing  at  Jaffa,  but  when  the  sea  is  stormy 
it  would  be  a  hazardous  attempt.  Landing  is  effected,  the  steamer 
having  anchored  some  considerable  distance  out,  by  means  of  small 
boats  which  convey  the  passengers  and  baggage  ashore.  The 
principal  danger  in  disembarkation  is  due  to  quite  formidable 
rocks  which  project  from  the  sea  very  near  to  land  with  smaller 
or  larger  interspaces.  It  is  very  obvious  how  readily  a  wild  sea 
would  dash  such  boats  to  pieces  against  these  rocks,  and  it  there- 
fore often  occurs  that  steamers  do  not  stop  until  they  reach  the 
next  landing  place.  When  the  sea  is  calm,  the  skilful  Arab  boat- 
swain does  not  find  it  difiBcult  to  pass  between  the  rocks  in  safety. 

The  day  on  which  we  arrived  was  propitious.  Mr.  Kaminitz,  the 
genial  proprietor  of  the  Hotel  Palestine,  who  had  been  apprised 
of  our  coming,  came  on  board  the  steamer,  extended  us  a  warm 
"  Shalom  Alechem,"  that  Jewish  greeting  which,  'mid  the  Oriental 
scenes  so  new  to  us,  with  the  strange  people,  speaking  their  strange 
language,  crowding  in  small  boats  about  the  vessel  and  scrambling 


320  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

wildly  aboard,  made  us  feel  safe  and  satisfied.  Through  his  .  .  . 
thoughtfulness,  he  delighted  us  with  news  from  home  before  we 
even  landed,  for  he  brought  with  him  the  letters  that  had  been 
addressed  to  his  care.  We  soon  descended  from  the  steamer  into 
one  of  the  boats,  and  in  a  very  short  time  we  stood  upon  the  soil 
of  the  ancient  home  of  Israel.  How  grateful  I  felt  for  this  realiza- 
tion of  a  life-long  dream!  What  sacred  memories  were  awakened, 
what  a  fervent  new  hope  the  old  hope  had  become ! 

We  were  made  comfortable  in  the  hotel,  which,  while  Jewish,  is 
liberally  patronized  by  Christians  and  Mussulmans.  A  gentleman 
of  the  latter  class,  holding  a  distinguished  position  in  Jerusalem, 
who  was  our  neighbor  at  the  table,  spoke  English  fairly  well,  and 
gave  us  much  interesting  information  in  regard  to  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  country.  We  learned  that  the  Mohammedans 
prefer  the  Jewish  table  on  account  of  their  dietary  laws,  which  are 
somewhat  similar  to  the  Jewish  dietary  laws.  They  do  not  eat  swine 
flesh,  and  have  a  sort  of  Shechitah  [method  of  ritual  slaughtering]. 

Jaffa,  as  we  know  from  the  Bible,  is  a  very  ancient  city.  It  was 
probably  never  very  large,  and  is  still  a  small  town  of  about  six 
thousand  inhabitants.  It  does  not  look  as  old  as  one  would  sup- 
pose. There  has  been  much  new  life  implanted  in  this  old  city 
during  the  past  twenty  years,  due  in  part  to  the  settlement  of  a 
thrifty  colony  of  German  Templars  in  the  city,  and  the  agricultural 
colony  of  the  same  community,  Sarona,  in  its  close  proximity;  but 
more  largely  to  the  increase  of  Jewish  settlers  in  the  city  itself, 
and  the  influence  of  Jewish  colonies  which  have  grown  up  in  the 
country  north  and  south  of  it.  Its  commerce  has  increased  three- 
fold during  the  last  few  years.  It  has  many  substantial  stone 
buildings,  and  its  streets  are  always  enlivened  with  Oriental  scenes, 
with  which  we  had  already  become  familiar  in  our  short  sojourn 
in  Egypt.  The  natives  in  their  Oriental  costumes  present  quite 
a  picturesque  appearance.     Their  complexions  embrace  all  shades 


Addresses.  321 

of  brunette,  becoming  darker  and  darker  until  finally  both  the 
rich  pigment  and  the  characteristic  features  of  the  transplanted 
African  are  reached.  They  are  all  dark,  but  for  convenience  are 
classified  as  white  and  black,  and  they  live  in  great  harmony  and 
close  social  relations,  which  will  cause  less  surprise  when  we  con- 
sider that  there  are  no  elections  in  the  Turkish  domain.  The  large 
number  of  camels  and  donkeys  carrying  all  sorts  of  burdens  lend 
an  especially  animated  character  to  the  streets.  Wagons  have,  up 
to  quite  recent  years,  been  considered  superfluous;  the  few  that  are 
now  seen  form  an  innovation  introduced  principally  by  the  Jewish 
colonists.  Soon  after  our  arrival  in  Jaffa  we  were  most  cordially 
met  by  the  Committee,  "  Ha-Waad  ha-Poel,"  representing  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Choveve  Zion  Association  of  Odessa  in  the  colonies.  .  .  . 
From  these  gentlemen  we  obtained  a  fund  of  knowledge  regarding 
the  colonies,  and  directions  as  to  our  further  journeys.  The  Beth 
Tia-Seferj  the  school  specially  fostered  by  the  Choveve  Zion  Asso- 
ciation of  Eussia,  is  an  institution  of  more  than  ordinary  im- 
portance. Here  Hebrew  is  taught  as  a  living  language.  It  has 
become  the  language  of  conversation  among  the  pupils,  and  in- 
struction in  all  the  branches  of  knowledge  is  imparted  in  the 
sacred  tongue.  The  children  evidently  love  the  ancient  language, 
which  has  been  made  their  own,  and  with  the  language  there  has 
been  infused  into  them  a  love  for  their  race  and  a  love  for  their 
religion  which  is  thoroughly  pervaded  with  the  national  idea.  This 
school  is  designed  to  be  the  model  school  for  the  colonies.  The 
founders  of  this  school  have  early  recognized  that,  besides  properly 
preparing  and  planting  the  land,  it  is  equally  important  to  rear  the 
young  generation  so  that  men  and  women  may  come  forth  who 
shall  prove  themselves  worthy  to  occupy  the  land,  and  who,  among 
all  its  products,  shall  stand  out  prominently  as  its  noblest  yield. 

"We  spent  about  three  days  very  agreeably  in  Jaffa.     During 
this  time  we  visited  Mikweh  Israel,  the   agricultural   school   of 


222  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  and  Pethach  Tikwah,  one  of 
the  colonies,  both  reached  after  a  short  drive  from  Jaffa.  Of  these 
I  shall  speak  presently.  I  desire  to  mention  here  that  there  is 
much  intelligence  and  refinement  ...  in  Jaffa.  This  society 
is  made  up  of  the  teachers  of  the  various  schools,  physicians, 
the  committee  of  the  Choveve  Zion,  officers  of  the  administra- 
tion of  the  various  colonies  who  visit  Jaffa  from  time  to  time,  and 
other  settlers  at  this  port  .  .  .  wlio  have  been  well  educated, 
and     .     .     .     have  had  the  advantage  of  good  social  intercourse. 

The  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle  can  justifiably  point  with  pride 
to  Mikweh  Israel,  not  only  because  it  is  the  only  agricultural  school 
in  the  East,  but  also  because  there  are  few  to  be  found  in  other 
parts  of  the  world  that  can  equal  it  in  the  thoroughness  of  their 
instruction  and  in  the  salutary  influence  which  they  have  wielded. 
The  waste  land  which  surrounds  it  for  miles  upon  miles  testifies  to 
the  superior  intelligence  and  untiring  industry  that  has  made  it 
the  garden  spot  of  the  region — a  model  which  has  served  to  direct 
the  newer  agricultural  enterprises  in  Palestine;  and  it  forms  such 
a  contrast  to  the  country  in  which  it  lies  that  it  is  like  an  oasis  in 
the  desert. 

About  sixteen  to  eighteen  young  men  are  sent  out  from  this 
school  annually,  and  they  find  positions  in  the  colonies  and  else- 
where as  gardeners;  some  have  even  been  sent  to  Argentine.  We 
had  a  most  delightful  stroll  through  the  groves,  consisting  of 
orange,  lemon  and  ethrog  trees.  These  are  well  cared  for.  They 
are  protected  from  the  cold  winds  by  eucalyptus  trees  and  hedges 
of  acacia  and  pomegranate.  The  acacia  has  a  most  beautiful  yellow, 
highly  fragrant  flower,  from  which,  and  from  other  flowers  as 
well,  perfumes,  we  are  informed,  are  manufactured  in  the  colony 
Yesud  ha-Maalah.  Much  has  been  done  here  in  the  planting  of 
trees,  among  which  must  be  mentioned  the  palm,  almond,  apricot, 
olive,  and  mulberry;  the  latter  is  important  for  its  bearing  on  the 


Addresses.  323 

silk  culture.  The  institution  derives  its  principal  income  from  vine 
culture,  the  wine  produced  being  of  very  fine  quality.  The 
various  kinds  of  cereals  and  vegetables  are  also  planted  here,  but 
not  in  large  quantities.  In  this  direction,  the  object  in  view  is 
the  instruction  that  is  imparted,  and  not  the  yield.  We  saw 
wheat,  oats,  barley,  and  other  plants  from  many  countries,  planted 
and  grown  under  varying  conditions,  to  show  the  pupils  the  prac- 
tical results  of  non-fertilization,  fertilization,  and  the  special  ad- 
vantages of  certain  fertilizers,  and  to  demonstrate  what  kinds 
are  suited  to  the  soil  and  climate. 

Charles  Netter  must  have  been  inspired  with  a  spirit  almost  pro- 
phetic to  have  conceived  the  idea  which  called  this  great  institu- 
tion into  being.  The  undertaking  met  with  many  obstacles  in  its 
early  career,  and  the  Alliance  began  to  hesitate  about  giving  the 
required  pecuniary  aid.  Netter  threw  his  soul  into  this  important 
work,  which  he  regarded  as  a  great  beginning  by  which  his  breth- 
ren should  be  led  back  again  to  their  normal  condition,  an  agri- 
cultural life.  He  left  France,  settled  at  Mikweh  Israel,  devoted  a 
large  private  fortune  to  making  it  a  success  when  other  means 
failed,  and  remained  there  until  he  died.  A  very  imposing  monu- 
ment marks  his  last  resting  place  amid  the  scenes  of  the  labors 
which  made  his  name  immortal.  He  held  the  best  of  titles  to  the 
distinguished  location  of  his  grave.     He  created  his  own  Gan  Eden. 

After  a  full  conference  with  our  friends  in  Jaffa  we  concluded 
to  visit  the  colonies  near  that  city,  and  then  to  reach  Sejet,  a  sta- 
tion on  the  railroad  to  Jerusalem,  and,  after  devoting  as  much  time 
as  was  needed  to  seeing  Jerusalem,  to  proceed  to  the  other  colonies. 
In  continuing  my  story,  I  shall  not  sandwich  Jerusalem  in  between 
the  colonies,  on  account  of  the  limits  of  this  occasion.  .  .  . 
The  colonies  which  we  visited  on  our  first  trip  were:  Pethach 
Tikwuh,  Eishon  le-Zion,  Ekron,  Kechoboth,  Ghederah,  and  Kas- 
tinje;  Wadi  el-Chanin,  which  belongs  to  the  group,  we  had  to 
pass  by. 


324  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

Pethach  Tikwah  was  included  in  the  program  of  one  of  our  ex- 
cursions from  Jaffa.  .  .  .  We  reached  our  destination  after 
about  one  and  a  half  hours'  drive  over  a  very  dusty  road,  through 
a  country  left  to  lie  barren,  for  the  most  part,  with  but  feeble  at- 
tempts at  cultivation  here  and  there. 

Somewhat  further  on  in  our  way  we  passed  a  wagon  filled  with 
men  and  women  who  were  pointed  out  to  us  as  Gerim,  "  prose- 
lytes." They  have  quite  an  interesting  history.  They  are  Eus- 
sians  from  the  Caucasus  who  have  adopted  Judaism,  have  found 
their  way  here  under  very  great  difficulties,  and  consider  it  as  their 
greatest  happiness  to  be  reckoned  among  the  Jews.  They  are  em- 
ployed in  Pethach  Tikwah,  and  are  very  industrious  and  extremely 
pious.  There  are  quite  a  number  of  these  people  who  are  Jews  in 
the  fullest  sense  of  the  term,  and  have  been  so  for  quite  a  long 
period.  It  is  said  that  there  are  no  less  than  five  hundred  fami- 
lies of  this  community  in  Eussia.  They  are  known  as  Sahhatniker 
[Sabbatarians].  They  owe  their  origin  to  a  movement  which  be- 
gan in  the  sixteenth  century.*  At  first  the  Jewish  Sabbath  was 
adopted;  later  they  appealed  to  the  Eabbis  for  instruction,  and 
ultimately  they  became  ardent  followers  of  the  Jewish  faith.  They 
have  been  subjected  to  very  cruel  persecution,  and  all  yearn  to 
come  to  the  Holy  Land  to  live  in  communion  with  their  brethren 
in  faith. 

In  approaching  Pethach  Tikwah,  a  pleasant  impression  is  at 
once  made  by  the  beautiful  background  of  green  forest  which  the 
landscape  presents.  An  avenue  lined  by  fine  shade  trees  leads  to 
the  village.  At  the  end  of  this  avenue,  upon  an  elevated  spot,  the 
beautiful  synagogue  is  most  appropriately  placed.  The  house  of 
the  administrator  is  quite  a  fine  building;  those  of  the  colonists 
are  of  a  modest  character,  and  provide  both  cheerful  and  comfort- 
able homes.     This  is  one  of  the  colonies  of  Baron  Edmond  de 

*  See  Jewish  Encyclopedia,  Art.  Judaizing  Heresy. 


Addresses.  335 

Eothschild,  without  whose  munificent  aid  the  success  of  this  new 
Jewish  resettlement  of  Palestine  would  have  been  an  impossibility. 
The  vineyards  in  this,  as  well  as  in  almost  all  of  the  other  colonies, 
form  the  chief  source  from  which  the  colonists  derive  their  support, 
although  grain  is  also  raised  successfully.  Although  the  natives 
have  received  in  the  development  of  the  colonies  many  valuable 
object-lessons  as  regards  the  advantages  of  modern  means  in  agri- 
culture, it  is  also  true  that  in  some  respects  the  colonists  had  to 
learn  and  adopt  the  methods  pursued  from  time  immemorial  in  the 
East.  This  is  illustrated  in  the  manner  in  which  the  wells  have 
been  dug,  and  in  the  solid  lining  of  masonry  by  which  they  have 
been  fortified.     .     .     . 

Among  other  signs  of  desolation  which  one  observes  in  traveling 
through  Palestine,  the  absence  of  trees  is  especially  conspicuous. 
It  is  only  where  Jews  have  again  settled  that  the  forests  are  begin- 
ning to  be  restored.  In  Pethach  Tikwah  alone,  forty  thousand 
eucalyptus  trees  of  goodly  growth  testify  to  the  munificence  and 
far-sightedness  of  the  Baron.  Besides  the  several  important  re- 
spects in  which  these  trees  will  prove  their  utility,  very  much  can 
safely  be  expected  of  them  in  counteracting  the  malaria  with  which 
this  colony  is  afflicted.  With  the  growth  of  these  trees,  which  is 
most  remarkably  rapid,  the  evil  has  already  decidedly  diminished, 
and  it  is  hoped  that  it  will  gradually  disappear.  What  wonder, 
then,  that  one  hears  nothing  but  praises  and  blessings  for  the 
Baron  and  prayers  for  his  preservation  ? 

The  colony  is  provided  with  a  good  school,  modeled  after  the 
one  in  Jaifa,  except  that  the  Ashkenazic  pronunciation  of  Hebrew 
has  been  retained.  Hebrew  is  the  language  in  general  use,  but 
Arabic,  Turkish,  and  French  are  also  taught.  .  .  .  We  were 
greatly  pleased  with  our  visit  to  Pethach  Tikwah,  for  we  found  in  it 
a  highly  developed  Jewish  colony.  The  trees  and  vines  and  fields 
reflected  .  .  .  creditably  the  intelligence  and  industry  of  the 
22 


326  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

new  Jewish  farmer,  but  our  greatest  satisfaction  was  derived  from 
the  assurance  of  our  brethren  that  they  were  contented  with  their 
lot  in  their  new  life  and  in  their  new  home. 

Eeturning  to  Jaffa,  we  proceeded  further  on  our  journey.  .  .  . 
We  again  availed  ourselves  of  Cook's  carriages,  proceeding  joyfully 
on  our  way,  not  minding  the  heat  or  dust.  We  found  it  rather 
remarkable  that  notwithstanding  the  high  temperature  we  were  not 
oppressed.  This  is  due  to  the  extreme  dryness  of  the  atmosphere. 
In  walking  for  hours  through  the  colonies  we  did  not  perspire,  and 
after  a  drive  of  six  and  eight  hours  we  were  surprised  that  the 
horses,  which  were  not  spared,  did  not  sweat.  The  time  required 
to  reach  Eishon  le-Zion  did  not  exceed  one  hour.  This  is  the  great 
colony  of  the  region,  being  a  central  point  for  all  the  colonies  of 
Judea.  The  Baron  has  erected  here  at  great  expense  a  vast  plant 
for  the  manufacture  and  storage  of  wine,  and  also  for  the  produc- 
tion of  everything  connected  with  this  important  industry,  and  it 
is  to  this  point  that  all  the  grapes  of  the  colonies  of  this  region 
are  brought  and  sold  to  the  Baron.  ...  We  were  first  shown 
through  quite  a  number  of  deep  cellars,  supplied  with  long  rows  of 
great  casks  which  in  the  aggregate  contain  about  30,000  hectoliters 
of  wine.  The  superstructure  consists  of  a  series  of  extensive  and 
connected  buildings,  each  serving  a  special  purpose  in  the  great 
work  which  is  accomplished  here.  In  these  separate  depart- 
ments elaborate  machinery  is  provided,  all  of  which  is  driven  from 
a  common  source,  a  Corliss  engine.     .     .     . 

We  were  next  taken  through  the  machine  shop.  Here,  as  well 
as  in  every  other  part  of  the  establishment,  only  Jews  are  at  work. 
The  superintendent  of  the  shop  is  a  Mr.  Bapo,  a  perfect  Goliath 
in  form,  with  a  kindly  face,  a  native  of  Jerusalem,  who  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Alliance  School.  ...  It  was  refreshing  to  see  our 
brethren  swinging  the  sledge-hammers  with  ease  and  showing  amid 
the  sparks  that  were  flying  in  all  directions  that  they  loved  their 


Addresses.  327 

work  and  they  were  satisfied  with  their  station  in  life.  All  the 
iron  work  needed  in  the  construction  of  the  rest  of  the  buildings 
came  out  of  this  shop. 

There  are  several  grades  of  red  and  white  wine  produced  here 
that  have  attained  a  well-merited  reputation  among  connoisseurs. 
Cognac,  which  is  rated  as  the  equal  of  the  best  that  can  be  found 
in  any  market,  is  also  distilled  here.  I  cannot  refrain  from  adding 
my  commendation  of  the  quality  of  the  wine.  In  enjoying  its 
pleasant  taste  and  exhilarating  effect,  I  felt  that  it  must  have 
been  this  sort  of  which  it  is  written  K'ljs-na^  nDK'^  pM  "  and  wine 
that  maketh  glad  the  heart  of  man."     .     .     . 

Mr.  Boris  Ossawetzsky,  the  manager  of  the  wine  department, 
a  fine  musician,  has  formed  an  orchestra  that  gives  performances 
every  Sunday  evening,  which  contribute  greatly  to  the  entertain- 
ment of  the  people  and  have  given  opportunity  for  refined  enjoy- 
ment. A  fine,  capacious  building  has  been  erected  by  the  colonists 
themselves  for  library  and  meeting  purposes,  and  it  is  here  that  the 
concerts  are  given.  Synagogue  and  school  have  been  amply  pro- 
vided for,  and  everything  betokens  a  community  of  earnestness 
and  intelligence.  .  .  .  Hospitality  greets  one  at  every  step, 
and  the  colonists  feel  grateful  for  every  indication  that  the  Jews 
of  other  parts  of  the  world  take  an  interest  in  them  and  in  the 
ideals  for  which  they  are  striving.  They  have  worked  hard.  They 
have  proved  that  they  can  do  the  hardest  work  well.  They  feel 
proud  of  having  surmounted  the  great  difficulties  of  their  early  ex- 
periences. They  are  full  of  courage  and  full  of  hope.  They  love 
Palestine.  They  feel  that  they  have  at  last  found  a  home.  Be- 
sides the  intellectual  improvement  and  moral  elevation  which  has 
been  a  direct  outcome  of  the  new  ideals  in  their  new  life,  the  more 
natural  environment  in  which  they  have  been  placed  has  had  a 
physically  beneficial  effect  which  is  noticeable  in  their  bearing  and 
in  their  movements.     It  was  very  gratifying  to  us  to  see  them 


328  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

mount  their  horses  with  the  agility  of  the  Arab,  and  to  find  them 
fully  masters  of  everything  that  horsemanship  requires.  In  the 
early  history  of  the  colonies,  the  Arabs  made  the  mistake  of  trying 
to  intimidate  them.  It  must  have  been  a  very  good  lesson  which 
they  received,  for,  from  their  very  good  and  peaceful  conduct  since, 
they  seem  not  to  have  forgotten  it.     .     .     . 

Leaving  Eishon  le-Zion  in  the  afternoon,  we  arrived  at  Eecho- 
both  towards  evening,  but  there  was  still  time  left  to  see  much  of 
the  colony,  which  presents  much  the  appearance  of  a  German  vil- 
lage. This  colony  made  a  good  impression  in  every  respect.  It 
was  founded  by  an  association  in  Warsaw  named  Menuchah 
we-Nachalah,  "  Peace  and  Possession,'^  and  forms  one  of  the  in- 
dependent colonies,  although  it  must  also  be  stated  that  both  in 
Pethach  Tikwah  and  in  Eishon  le-Zion  there  are  quite  a  number  of 
colonists  who  own  their  land. 

The  community  of  Eechoboth  has  adopted  a  novel  and  effectual 
method  of  protecting  itself  against  theft.  An  agreement  was  made 
with  a  neighboring  sheik  to  furnish  a  watchman  at  ninety  francs 
per  month,  with  the  stipulation  that  he  shall  make  adequate  in- 
demnification for  anything  that  may  disappear,  and  the  plan  has 
worked  satisfactorily.  This  safeguard  applies  only  to  the  danger 
of  this  kind  to  which  the  colony  is  exposed  throughout  the  year. 
Against  the  periodic  thieves  who  make  their  incursions  with  the 
ripening  of  the  grapes,  the  only  insurance  .  .  .  available  is 
a  number  of  armed  colonists  who  patrol  the  vineyards  all  night 
during  the  season.  This  police  system  is  established  in  all  the 
other  colonies.     .     .     . 

The  three  remaining  colonies  of  Judea,  on  account  of  their  prox- 
imity, were  readily  reached  in  one  day's  journey. 

Ekron,  after  being  a  failure  at  first,  came  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Baron.  The  Baron,  as  an  experiment,  selected  a  number  of 
Eussians  who  had  experience  as  agriculturists,  with  the  view  of  de- 


Addresses.  329 

voting  the  colony  to  the  raising  of  grain.  The  experiment  was 
eminently  successful.  Subsequently,  to  make  the  colony  more 
profitable  still,  he  changed  it  to  a  wine  and  fruit-growing  one,  and 
he  has  not  been  disappointed.  This  aggregation  of  orange,  lemon, 
ethrog,  palm,  apricot,  almond,  pomegranate,  and  acacia  trees  under 
favoring  climatic  influences  and  the  most  advanced  horticulture 
presents  a  beauteous  picture,  which  cannot  be  excelled  in  its  kind. 
Ghederah  (Katra)  had  a  unique  beginning.  It  was  settled  by 
Eussian  students.  They  had  a  very  rough  experience,  but  they 
maintained  their  courage.  They  were  materially  aided  by  the 
Choveve  Zion  Association  of  Eussia,  and  the  colony  has  prospered. 
One-half  of  it  is  devoted  to  wine  and  fruit;  the  other  half  to  grain. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  these  young  men,  brought  up  in  the 
Eussian  universities  under  the  vitiating  influence  of  Nihilism,  have 
fully  recovered  therefrom,  and  have  returned  to  a  true  Jewish  life. 
The  houses  in  this  colony  are  built  of  limestone,  are  well  con- 
structed, and  present  an  appearance  which  lends  a  special  charm 
to  the  place.  Several  of  these  houses  are  architecturally  quite  pre- 
tentious. In  one  of  these,  owned  and  occupied  by  a  Eussian  of 
means,  we  were  kindly  received.  He  came  here  because  he  wanted 
to  live  in  Palestine.  We  were  rather  surprised  to  see,  in  the  room 
in  which  we  were  entertained,  some  exquisite  pieces  of  furniture 
brought  all  the  way  from  Eussia.  The  floor  was  made  of  white 
and  black  blocks  of  marble,  arranged  with  a  decidedly  pleasing 
effect.  The  samovar,  the  large  brass  tea  machine,  a  very  orna- 
mental piece  which  one  often  sees  in  Eussian  houses  in  the  East, 
was  soon  set  going.  Our  kind  host,  already  advanced  in  years, 
chirped  and  skipped  about,  the  very  picture  of  happiness  in  his 
cordial  attentions  to  us.  In  thinking  now  of  him  and  of  his  breth- 
jen  who  are  left  in  the  land  of  the  Czar,  I  am  strongly  reminded 
of  our  Eussian  Jewish  poet  Eosenfeld's  pathetic  song  of  the  happy 


330  Aaron  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

canary  bird  singing  its  sweet  chants  in  the  green  woods,  and  of  the 
one  in  the  cage  whose  song  is  a  sigh. 

We  finished  the  day  with  the  drive  to  Kastinje,  the  home  of  our 
friend  Kaiserman.  Our  host,  with  the  aid  of  a  female  Arab  ser- 
vant bearing  the  euphonious  name  of  Sapcha,  attended  most  gener- 
ously to  our  wants.  This  colony  is  devoted  exclusively  to  the  rais- 
ing of  igrain,  and  was  established  by  the  Choveve  Zion.  Mr. 
Kaiserman  showed  us  the  plan  of  storing  grain  which  had  been 
learned  from  the  Arabs,  and  which  is  also  in  vogue  in  some  of 
the  other  colonies.  It  consists  of  excavations  in  the  ground  of  the 
shape  of  an  elliptical  vase,  with  a  long  neck,  and  of  a  capacity  of 
holding  as  many  as  a  hundred  and  fifty  bags  of  grain.  These  ex- 
cavations .  .  .  are  very  skilfully  made  by  the  Arabs.  They 
have  the  advantage  of  great  economy,  while  the  grain  remains  per- 
fectly protected.  In  the  threshing  of  the  grain  the  method  of  the 
natives  has  been  found  advantageous.  It  consists  of  spreading  it 
out  upon  the  field  and  driving  horses,  drawing  a  sort  of  heavy 
sled,  over  it  in  continuous  circles. 

Our  Arab  servant's  carriage  was  a  typical  example  of  the  grace- 
ful bearing  of  the  young  Arab  women,  acquired,  probably,  from  the 
erect  posture  enforced  in  the  carrying  of  water  jars  and  other  bur- 
dens upon  their  heads.  She  promptly  disappeared  toward  night- 
fall, as  no  Arab  girl  is  known  to  be  absent  from  her  native  village 
at  night.  She  was  about  twenty-four  years  old,  a  rather  advanced 
age  for  a  girl  in  the  East  not  to  be  married.  "We  learned  that  she 
was  promised  to  be  given  as  wife  to  a  little  boy  while  she  was  quite 
a  young  child.  The  boy  disappeared,  and  unless  a  divorce  is  ob- 
tained, or  his  death  can  be  established,  she  can,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country,  never  marry  anyone  else. 

In  driving  from  colony  to  colony  we  passed  a  number  of  Arab 
villages  which  added  much  to  the  interest  of  our  journeys.  The 
physician  at  Ghederah  had  been  called  the  day  before  we  arrived  to 


Addresses.  331 

attend  a  neighboring  sheik  who  was  very  ill.  It  became  known 
that  a  physician  from  abroad  was  travelling  through  the  country, 
and  I  was  requested  to  meet  the  medical  attendant  in  consultation. 
I  gladly  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the  inside  of 
an  Arab  village.  Such  a  village  consists  of  a  large  circular  wall 
built  of  mud,  which  at  the  same  time  forms  the  outer  part  of  the 
houses,  which  are  covered  with  a  thick  layer  of  straw.  The  village 
is  entered  through  a  wide  arched  gateway.  On  entering  the  court, 
a  motley  assembly  of  men,  women,  children,  camels,  horses,  cows, 
donkeys,  goats,  and  other  cattle  was  observed. 

All  around  there  were  at  intervals  single  openings  which  served 
as  door  and  window  to  the  respective  dwellings.  The  house  we 
entered  consisted  of  a  room  twelve  by  twelve  with  a  pile  of  stones 
in  the  center  about  three  feet  high,  four  feet  broad,  and  about  six 
feet  long,  covered  with  blankets,  which  formed  a  bed  upon  which 
the  sick  sheik  lay.  There  was  absolutely  no  other  furniture  in  the 
room.  The  open  court  serves  the  purpose  of  the  general  parlor, 
sitting-room,  dining-room,  kitchen,  and  stable.  Libraries  are  not 
required,  and  only  of  recent  years  has  a  feeble  attempt  been  made 
to  have  village  schools.  The  sheik  had  been  sick  for  nearly  six 
weeks.  He  shared  the  common  belief  that  Providence  alone  should 
be  relied  upon  in  sickness.  When  he,  however,  got  so  ill  that  he 
could  not  resist  the  demands  of  his  four  sympathizing  wives  any 
longer,  a  physician  was  finally  sent  for.  On  leaving  the  village,  I 
asked  the  doctor  who  came  with  us  from  Ghederah  how  it  was  pos- 
sible that  a  man  like  the  sheik,  who  was  reputed  to  be  a  man  of 
considerable  means,  could  live  in  such  a  wretched  environment. 
He  replied,  "  Such  folk  are  quite  happy  as  they  are.  They  follow 
out  a  political  economy  of  their  own  which  resolves  itself  into  the 
proposition  that  the  less  one  has,  the  less  can  one  be  deprived  of  by 
the  oflBcials."  They  are  not  oppressed  by"  the  giving  of  a  dowry  to 
procure  husbands  for  their  daughters,  a  custom  so  wide-spread 


333  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

among  other  peoples;  on  the  contrary,  the  father  is  paid  a  sum 
averaging  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  each  daughter  he 
gives  away  in  marriage.  Sometimes  a  father  desires  to  increase 
his  household  by  an  additional  wife  and  wants  at  the  same  time  to 
escape  the  pressure  of  a  cash  transaction;  he  then  gives  away  a 
daughter  and  takes  a  wife  in  exchange.  A  more  commendable 
phase  of  Arab  life  was  observed  in  the  many  poor  women  whom 
we  met  returning  from  the  fields  and  carrying  upon  their  heads 
loads  of  grain,  these  being  the  gleanings  to  which  they  are  entitled 
by  a  statute  based  upon  the  Jewish  law.  At  Kastinje  we  parted 
with  our  good  friend  Kaiserman,  and  proceeded  in  charge  of  our 
Arab  driver  to  Sejet,  a  point  about  half  way  on  the  railroad  between 
Jaffa  and  Jerusalem.     .     .     . 

After  spending  eleven  days  in  the  Holy  City,  during  which  time 
we  visited  Hebron,  Jericho,  the  Dead  Sea,  and  the  River  Jordan, 
we  returned  to  Jaffa.  Following  the  direction  of  our  friends  of 
the  Jaffa  Committee  we  drove  to  Chuderah  under  the  guidance 
of  one  of  the  colonists  of  that  place.  He  had  been  spending  Shabu- 
oth  in  Jaffa  on  a  visit  to  his  betrothed.  He  carried  a  rifle  and 
wore  a  belt  well  stocked  with  cartridges.  He  had  been  in  many  a 
combat  when  the  natives  were  not  as  peaceful  as  now.  A  conspicu- 
ous sinking  of  the  bridge  of  his  nose  marked  him  as  one  of  the 
heroes  of  these  battles,  and  probably  on  this  account  he  deemed  it 
prudent  to  be  fully  armed  while  on  the  road.  He  was  quite  an  in- 
telligent man  and  entertained  us  with  an  account  of  the  early 
struggles  of  the  colonists  and  the  success  they  had  achieved,  which 
went  far  to  lessen  the  discomfort  of  our  journey,  lasting  eight  hours 
over  very  dusty  roads,  and  through  a  country  which  offered  very 
little  in  the  way  of  scenery.     .     .     . 

We  reached  Chuderah  late  in  the  afternoon  and  were  most  hos- 
pitably received  by  Dr.  Soskin,  director  of  the  colony.  This  colony 
was  founded  by  a  number  of  societies  in  Eussia  and  occupies  a  ter- 


Addresses.  333 

ritory  of  nearly  7000  acres,  which  is  about  twice  as  large  as  the 
largest  of  the  other  colonies.  Its  western  boundary  is  formed  by 
the  Mediterranean  Sea,  where  it  has  a  little  harbor.  Unfortu- 
nately malaria  has  raged  here  in  its  severest  forms,  owing  to  two 
swamps  which  generate  this  disease.  Attempts  at  draining  the 
land  had  to  be  abandoned  on  account  of  the  large  number  of  deaths 
occurring  among  those  engaged  in  the  work.  The  sufferings  of  this 
colony  have  been  greatly  mitigated  through  the  benevolence  of 
Baron  de  Eothschild,  who,  during  the  last  few  years,  has  annually 
expended  10,000  francs  to  enable  the  colonists  and  their  families  to 
spend  two  months  of  the  season  of  danger  in  other  colonies.  A 
number  of  those  thoroughly  acclimated  remain  at  home  on  guard. 
Besides  this,  the  Baron  has  had  two  hundred  thousand  eucalyptus 
trees  planted  on  the  swampy  land,  and  it  is  expected  that  the  sani- 
tary condition  of  the  colony  will  soon  be  very  much  improved,  and 
that  ultimately  malaria  will  entirely  disappear.  The  land  is 
richly  productive.  The  vines  yield  a  rich  harvest;  watermelons 
grow  well  and  abundantly,  and  find  a  ready  market  in  Egypt,  being 
shipped  direct  from  the  colony.  Sesame,  which  is  also  largely 
raised,  is  a  small  plant  with  many  seeds  from  which  oil  is  extracted, 
and     .     .     .     commands  a  fair  return. 

We  left  Chuderah  in  the  morning  and  arrived  at  Zichron  Jacob 
in  about  three  hours.  We  now  passed  through  a  mountainous 
country.  The  hillsides  were  terraced  in  many  places,  but  barren 
until  we  reached  the  Jewish  settlement.  When  we  were  assured 
that  the  rich  vine-clad  slopes  we  beheld,  as  beautiful  as  those  on 
the  Ehine,  occupied  places  that  had  been  as  barren  as  those  we 
passed,  we  felt  that  a  new  miracle  had  been  wrought.  Moses 
struck  the  rock,  and  the  water  gushed  forth ;  here  the  colonists  had 
appealed  to  the  rocks,  and  they  have  yielded  wine  abundantly. 
Zichron  Jacob  is  a  beautiful  town  of  about  2000  inhabitants,  with 
fine  houses,  the  administration  building  being  almost  palatial  in 


334  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

character.  A  park"  with  a  splashing  fountain  is  placed  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  town,  surrounded  by  broad,  clean  streets,  with  shaded 
sidewalks.  The  synagogue  is  quite  an  imposing  structure.  Zich- 
ron  Jacob,  on  account  of  its  highly  developed  condition  and  gay  ap- 
pearance, is  often  called  by  the  colonists  the  "new  Paris."  The 
bright  little  cottages,  the  luxuriant  gardens,  with  the  orchards  of 
orange,  lemon,  pomegranate,  and  palm  trees  attached  to  them,  the 
green  slopes  smiling  upon  the  peaceful  homes,  and  breathing  a  rich 
promise  in  the  language  of  the  vines,  seemed  to  give  an  answer  to 
the  Psalmist's  query :  nm  i<3''  pso  nnnn  ha  ''yv  nk^S  "  I  will  lift 
up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills ;  from  whence  shall  my  help  come  ?  " 

Zichron  Jacob  was  first  settled  by  Eoumanian  Jews,  as  Samarin. 
They  had  to  bear  untold  hardships.  At  one  time,  so  we  were  told 
by  an  old  settler,  their  last  resource  to  procure  bread  was  to  pledge 
their  8efer  Torah,  "  Scroll  of  the  Law,"  for  a  loan.  They  re- 
deemed their  pledge,  and  it  is  now  especially  endeared  to  them. 
Baron  Edmond  de  Rothschild  has  given  this  colony  his  munificent 
protection,  and  to  this  cause  is  mainly  due  its  great  prosperity.  Its 
present  name,  Zichron  Jacob,  the  "  Memorial  of  Jacob,"  is  a  trib- 
ute to  the  father  of  the  Baron.  This  colony  bears  the  same  rela- 
tion to  the  Galilean  colonies  as  does  Eishon  le-Zion  to  those  of 
Judea.  All  the  grapes  are  brought  here  to  the  extensive  plant 
provided  for  the  wine  industry. 

Shefeya  and  Umm  al-Jimal  are  two  small  colonies,  outgrowths 
from  Zichron  Jacob,  constituted  entirely  of  workmen  who  had  pre- 
viously been  employed  in  the  latter  colony.  They  are  planted  be- 
tween the  hills,  and  give  signs  of  growing  prosperity.  The  houses 
are  cheerful  and  neat;  the  colonists  seem  proud  of  their  advance- 
ment. We  arrived  during  the  season  of  the  silk  culture.  Before 
every  house  there  was  a  vast  collection  of  branches  of  the  mulberry 
tree.  Women  and  children  were  engaged  in  stripping  the  leaves 
from  the  branches,  and  thus  providing  food  for  the  worms.     In 


Addresses.  335 

the  main  room  of  every  house, — and  this  was  largely  true  of  Zich- 
ron  Jacob  also, — the  usual  furniture  had  been  removed,  and  shelves 
were  provided  for  feeding  the  worms.  It  was  a  pleasant  scene  to 
behold  mothers  and  children  with  happy  faces  and  nimble  hands 
engaged  in  this  important  domestic  industry.     .     .     . 

Could  we  have  prolonged  our  stay  in  Palestine,  wo  should  have 
crossed  the  country  from  west  to  east  to  visit  the  colonies  of  which 
Eosh  Pinnah  forms  the  center,  viz. :  Mishmar  ha-Yarden,  Yesud 
ha-Maalah,  and  Metullah,  but  the  season  was  too  far  advanced. 
.  .  .  We  regretted  this  the  more,  as  it  is  in  this  direction  that 
Palestine  exhibits  its  greatest  picturesqueness.  The  life  of  these 
colonists  and  the  products  of  the  land  are  very  similar  to  those  we 
have  already  described,  as  we  were  .  .  .  informed.  It  is, 
however,  worthy  of  mention  that  the  silk  industry  is  of  special 
importance  in  Eosh  Pinnah,  where  a  factory  for  the  spinning  of 
silk  is  in  successful  operation.  Yesud  ha-Maalah  is  noted  for  the 
raising  of  roses,  jessamine,  acacias,  tube-roses,  and  rose  geraniums 
on  a  large  scale,  from  which  the  fragrant  oils  are  extracted  in  a 
quite  extensive  factory  which  has  been  erected  for  that  purpose. 

The  preceding  is  a  condensed  account  of  the  life  of  the  colonists 
and  the  possibilities  of  the  land  upon  which  they  have  settled. 
It  has  been  definitely  ascertained  that  Palestine  is  fertile  and 
capable,  with  proper  cultivation,  of  yielding  ample  sustenance  for 
several  millions  of  additional  inhabitants  without  taking  into  ac- 
count the  many  more  who  could  find  support  from  the  develop- 
ment of  commerce  and  industries  for  which  it  offers  a  promising 
field.  The  desolation  and  poverty  that  prevails  now  is  ascribable 
to  some  extent  to  the  lethargy  of  its  inhabitants,  who  have  neg- 
lected agriculture;  but  more  largely  to  the  policy  of  the  Turkish 
Government,  which  has  exerted  a  withering  influence  upon  the 
development  of  the  country  in  every  respect.  But  even  under 
these  unfavorable  conditions  the  colonies  have  prospered,  and  the 


336        '  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

fact  has  been  satisfactorily  demonstrated  that  the  Jew  can  become 
a  successful  tiller  of  the  soil.  Under  his  hand,  Palestine  has  be- 
gun her  regeneration.  Barren  hills  have  been  clothed  with  gener- 
ous verdure.  Deserted  valleys  have  been  reclaimed.  Where  ruth- 
less waste  has  for  centuries  ruled  supreme,  happy  Jewish  villages 
have  grown.  The  forests  that  had  disappeared  are  returning 
from  their  long  exile  and  spreading  their  protecting  shade  and 
breathing  their  health-giving  influence.  Vine  and  fruit  tree  are 
vying  with  each  other  in  offering  their  reward  to  the  noble  band  of 
pioneers  who  have  come  from  afar  in  their  renewed  love  for  the  Old 
Home,  and  bid  welcome  to  generations  yet  unborn.  The  busy  bee 
has  been  charmed  back  again  by  flowers  that  have  donned  their 
brightest  colors  and  spread  their  sweetest  fragrance,  and  honey  has 
again  begun  to  flow.  Plants  have  been  ennobled  by  grafts  of  the 
best  of  every  land.  But  the  greatest  change  here  the  Jew  himself 
presents.  His  bent  form  has  become  erect;  his  enfeebled  body  has 
regained  strength;  his  cringing  spirit  has  left  him,  and  courage 
marks  his  movements  instead.  The  tongue  that  so  oft  was  bid  to 
be  silent  has  regained  its  freedom,  and  is  readapting  itself  to  its 
ancient  sacred  language.  The  Jew  lives  for  high  ideals,  and  feels 
that  the  time  has  come  to  make  a  new  effort  to  rise  out  of  the 
humiliation  into  which  he  has  been  dragged  by  centuries  of  re- 
lentless persecution.  In  vain  has  he  proffered  his  love  and  given 
his  blood  in  defence  of  the  various  countries  of  his  adoption.  He 
has  been  denounced  as  an  alien  and  a  parasite  almost  everywhere, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century,  which  promised  so  much, 
7,500,000  out  of  the  10,000,000  Jews  in  the  world  are  placed  under 
conditions  which  make  life  almost  intolerable.  His  frailties  have 
been  magnified,  his  worth  ignored,  and  his  oppressors  have  sunk 
deeper  and  deeper  into  unconsciousness  of  the  crime  that  they  have 
perpetrated,  and  are  continuing  to  perpetrate  against  him.  He  has 
striven  honestly  to  live  down  prejudice,  but  the  more  he  has  tried 


Addresses,  337 

to  adapt  himself  to  circumstances,  the  more  inexorable  has  become 
the  condition  that  he  must  cease  to  be  himself.  In  his  Old  Home, 
in  Palestine,  he  hopes  to  become  completely  himself  again.  Here 
there  shall  be  established  a  center  for  Jewish  thought,  and  a  life 
shaped  by  lofty  Jewish  ideals.  From  here  there  shall  radiate  an 
influence  that  shall  reach  Jews  in  every  corner  of  the  globe,  and 
place  them  in  a  proper  light,  and  eventually  enforce  amends  for 
the  wrongs  from  which  they  have  so  long  suffered,  so  that  finally 
the  day  may  dawn  when  "out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and 
the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem." 


"GLIMPSES  m  PALESTINE." 

Palestine  lias  always  attracted  the  interest  of  the  Jewish,  Chris- 
tian, and  Mohammedan  world.  The  Jews  regarded  it  as  their  in- 
heritance, and  have  never  relinquished  their  title  to  it.     .     .     . 

The  Mohammedans  have  held  possession  of  Palestine  for  many 
centuries,  and  have  great  reverence  for  the  historic  places.  They 
look  with  pride  on  their  achievements  during  the  Crusades,  and 
Saladin  will  never  lose  in  comparison  with  Godfrey  de  Bouillon 
and  Eichard  the  Lion-hearted. 

The  Christians  have  two  great  incentives  for  intrenching  them- 
selves as  strongly  as  they  can;  they  hold  that  the  possession  of  the 
burial  place  of  the  founder  of  their  religion  must  be  forever  secure 
to  them  and  that  they  must  be  sufficiently  strong  to  assert  them- 
selves when  the  final  dealing  out  takes  place,  and  each  .  .  . 
Christian  sect  hates  the  others  too  much  to  permit  any  one  sect  to 
obtain  an  advantage  in  this  regard. 

The  principal  city  and  the  point  of  greatest  interest  in  Palestine 
is  Jerusalem;  it  is  now  readily  reached  by  railroad  from  Jaffa;  it 
is  picturesquely  placed  upon  Mt.  Zion  and  Mt.  Moriah  at  an  ele- 
vation of  2700  feet  above  sea-level,  enclosed  by  a  beautiful  wall 
with  a  number  of  gates.  The  population  numbers  between  fifty 
and  sixty  thousand  inhabitants,  two-thirds  being  Jews;  of  the  re- 
maining one-third  about  two-thirds  are  Mohammedans  and  the  rest 
Christians,  representing  all  their  varied  sects.  Jews  and  Moham- 
medans live  amicably  together.  The  Mohammedans  have  not  much 
love  for  Christians.  The  Christians,  besides  hating  everybody  else, 
are  kept  quite  busy  hating  each  other.  Certain  religious  festivals 
held  by  Christians  in  the  church  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher  would  be 


Addresses.  339 

rendered  scenes  of  murder  and  bloodshed  were  it  not  for  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  who  is  represented  in  this  instance  by  the  Turkish  Guard. 
Most  of  the  people  one  meets  upon  the  streets  have  nothing  to  do, 
and  do  not  seem  at  all  oppressed  by  their  inactivity. 

The  place  where  the  Temple  stood  occupies  about  one-fifth  of  the 
area  of  the  city.  It  is  enclosed  by  a  wall,  and  remains  an  empty 
place  except  in  its  center,  which  is  occupied  by  the  Mosque  of  Omar. 
I  looked  down  upon  this  great  enclosure  and  the  Mosque  from  the 
high  tower  on  the  Mount  of  Olives.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  de- 
scribe it.  How  can  it  be  described  by  one  who  could  view  it  only 
through  tears?  .  .  .  But  only  glimpses  I  am  to  offer.  Jewish 
children  speak  more  languages  in  Jerusalem,  perhaps,  than  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world.  In  the  Kindergarten  of  the  Alliance  I 
listened  to  very  small  children  singing  English  songs.  All  speak 
Hebrew,  and  besides  this  many  speak  Arabic,  German,  French, 
and  English. 

You  wondered,  no  doubt,  when  I  stated  that  English  was  taught 
in  the  modern  schools,  whence  the  teachers  were  procured  to  do 
this  teaching.  Jerusalem  is  a  great  gathering  place  for  that  genus 
hominis  which  in  America  is  known  by  the  generic  term  "  cranks." 
They  find  their  way  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  America  has 
not  been  left  without  its  representation.  About  sixteen  years  ago 
quite  a  number  of  our  countrymen  and  countrywomen,  probably 
twenty  persons  in  all,  felt  convinced  that  the  prophecies  were  near- 
ing  their  fulfilment,  and  they  wanted  to  be  on  the  spot,  to  be  on 
the  ground  floor,  among  those  who  were  counting  on  their  benefits ; 
they  went  to  Jerusalem  and  waited  from  day  to  day,  till  the  days 
became  years,  and  their  means  were  expended,  and  want  stared 
them  in  the  face.  The  fulfilment  for  which  they  had  waited  and  for 
which  they  are  still  waiting  had  taken  too  slow  a  train,  they  found, 
and  they  eventually  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  had  to  do 
something  besides  praying  and  getting  up  early  every  morning  and 


340  Aaron"  Feiedenwald,  M.  D. 

ascending  the  Mount  of  Olives  to  meet  the  messenger  who  was  to 
bring  the  tidings,  for  the  wolf  was  at  the  door;  so  they  have  taken 
up  a  number  of  pursuits,  among  them  nursing  the  sick,  taking  and 
selling  photographs  of  scenes  in  Palestine,  producing  various  ar- 
ticles for  household  use,  and  especially  teaching.  For  this  a  num- 
ber of  them  were  specially  qualified,  and  they  have  proven  them- 
selves excellent  teachers  in  the  Jewish  schools;  and  have  otherwise 
contributed  materially  to  the  spread  of  the  English  language  in 
Jerusalem.  They  have  resigned  themselves  to  a  life  of  celibacy. 
When  a  married  couple  enters  the  family  their  relations  change  to 
that  of  brother  and  sister;  children  are  the  common  properly  of 
the  family.  In  consequence  of  their  faith  they  live  in  perfect 
peace,  so  they  say,  though  a  great  many  doubt  it;  and  they  hold 
that  by  the  general  adoption  of  their  system  of  belief  the  whole 
world  would  be  at  peace.  We  have  here  another  example  of  the 
mistake  so  often  made,  that  because  a  certain  plan  works  satis- 
factorily on  a  small  scale,  it  must  necessarily  work  equally  well 
upon  the  largest  scale.  I  met  a  number  of  them  and  spent  an 
evening  in  their  society,  and  foimd  them  very  intelligent  indeed 
and  equally  refined.  There  seems  to  be  some  kind  of  a  mystery 
connected  with  them,  which  no  one  has  yet  been  able  fully  to 
unravel.     .     .     . 

In  speaking  of  the  American  family  we  met  an  example  of  people 
in  Jerusalem  who  do  not  marry  at  all ;  in  the  Mohammedans  we  find 
a  class  who  sometimes  marry  quite  frequently;  and  in  the  Jews  we 
have  examples  of  people  often  marrying  at  an  age  at  which  we 
should  still  consider  them  children.  The  case  of  a  boy  of  fourteen 
marrying  a  girl  of  twelve  ...  is  nothing  very  uncommon,  nor 
is  it  very  rare  for  a  man  to  be  a  grandfather  before  he  is  forty 
years  old. 

There  are  a  great  many  Eabbis  in  Jerusalem;  I  cannot  say  ex- 
actly how  many  thousand.     I  have  heard  some  bad  things  said 


I 


Addresses.  341 

about  them,  which  in  no  instance  did  I  believe;  for  I  have  been 
greatly  prejudiced  in  their  favor,  because,  among  other  reasons, 
they  never,  or  very  seldom  preach,  and  have  no  means  of  defending 
themselves  against  these  charges,     .     .     . 

The  sights  one  is  shown  in  traveling  through  Palestine  are 
principally  the  burial  places  of  the  patriarchs,  kings,  and  prophets. 
In  other  words,  we  are  brought  to  the  great  cemetery  of  our  former 
national  glory.  It  would  be  a  dreary  journey  for  him  who  did  not 
believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  but  for  him  who  believes  in 
this  resurrection,  and  for  him  who  has  the  insight  to  recognize  the 
first  signs  of  the  quickening,  there  is  a  joy  to  be  found  here  which 
no  other  place  in  the  world  affords.  Here  and  there,  in  Judea,  in 
Samaria,  in  Galilee,  and  also  faintly,  yet  recognizably,  in  the 
Hauran,  there  is  a  new  life  sprouting  up,  a  life  that  Palestine  has 
not  known  since  the  Jews  were  taken  away  as  captives.  Twenty- 
four  Jewish  colonies  now  decorate  a  landscape  which  but  recently 
was  one  continuous  .  .  .  waste.  Happy  homes  have  here 
been  established  from  which  Jewish  songs  resound  in  tones  pro- 
phetic of  the  new  era  that  is  to  come.  The  land  has  begun  to 
divest  itself  of  its  badge  of  mourning;  where  nothing  but  weeds 
grew  and  famine  barred  out  all  animal  life,  forests  have  reappeared 
and  vineyards  have  covered  the  nakedness  of  the  mountains  and 
orchards  are  offering  their  luscious  fruit  and  fields  are  bearing  rich 
yields  of  grain.  Where  ignorance  reigned  .  .  .  for  centuries, 
Jewish  schools  now  shed  their  blessings,  and  the  returned  exile  has 
regained  his  own,  his  ancient  sacred  language.  After  an  absence 
of  eighteen  centuries  and  passing  through  endless  vicissitudes, 
forced  to  do  what  he  had  not  been  accustomed  to  in  his  old  home, 
and  to  do  this  so  long,  that  he  forgot  what  was  his  normal  state, 
he  has  come  back  and  resumed  his  old  work,  and  shown  the  world 
that  Palestine  is  fertile,  and  that  the  Jew  can  become  a  successful 
tiller  of  the  soil. 
23 


"  LOVEES  OF  ZION/'  AN  ADDRESS  DELIVEEED  BEFORE 
THE  MICKVE  ISRAEL  ASSOCIATION  OF  PHILADEL- 
PHIA, DECEMBER  23,  1894. 

Since  affairs  in  Russia  assumed  a  state  which  compelled  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  its  Jewish  inhabitants  to  seek  homes  in  other 
parts  of  the  world,  the  love  of  Zion  which  has  accompanied  Israel 
throughout  the  dispersion  has  acquired  a  fresh  intensity;  this  has 
inaugurated  a  movement  full  of  richest  promise.  This  movement 
has  the  lofty  aspiration  of  making  the  Hebrew  language  again  the 
language  of  the  Hebrews,  and  of  establishing  a  home  for  Israelites 
in  the  land  which  was  the  home  of  their  ancestors.  It  shall  be  the 
purpose  of  the  lecture  wliich  I  have  the  honor  to  deliver,  by  your 
kind  invitation,  to  present  the  motives  which  have  led  to  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Chibbath  Zion,  to  outline  its  progress,  and  to  con- 
sider the  possibilities  which  it  indicates. 

The  world  has  greatly  marveled  at  the  unexpected  preservation 
of  the  Jews.  When  Rome  finally  triumphed  over  the  Holy  City 
and  Israel  was  carried  into  captivity,  everything  pointed  to  the 
total  annihilation  of  the  Jews  as  a  people.  Little  did  the  historian 
of  that  day  dream  that  the  historian  of  nearly  twenty  centuries 
later  would  speak  of  them  as  the  only  living  relic  of  antiquity;  as 
a  people  who,  under  the  most  adverse  conditions,  had  made  the 
long  journey  from  ancient  to  modern  times;  as  a  people  fully  pre- 
serving their  identity,  and  still  adhering  to  that  religion  for  which 
they  had  to  suffer  unceasingly  from  the  time  of  the  destruction  of 
their  nationality  to  the  present  day.  But  it  is  not  the  simple  sur- 
vival of  the  Jews  of  which  history  has  to  take  account.  It  must 
accord  them  recognition  not  only  for  having  preserved  themselves. 


Addresses.  343 

in  spite  of  having  been  subjected  to  persecutions  such  as  have  been 
the  lot  of  no  other  people,  but  also  for  much  that  they  have  pre- 
served for  the  world.  They  were  largely  the  media  through  which 
the  intellectual  achievements  of  the  East  reached  the  West  during 
the  Middle  Ages;  and  to  them,  furthermore,  must  be  credited  no 
mean  share  in  the  progress  the  world  has  made  since  that  time.  Dur- 
ing that  long  period  in  which  the  whole  of  Europe  was  steeped  in 
ignorance  and  the  continuous  clash  of  arms  was  the  expression  of  a 
vile  brutality,  the  Jews,  proscribed  at  every  step  by  those  in  power, 
subjected  to  the  contumely  of  vulgar  mobs,  insecure  in  the  posses- 
sion of  their  tangible  property,  with  no  place  that  they  could  call 
a  home,  cultivated  a  spiritual  life  and  an  intellectual  life;  and  in 
moments  of  peace  within  their  four  walls  their  crouching  forms 
would  assume  the  dignity  of  self-respect  and  they  would  look  down 
upon  the  degradation  of  their  persecutors  with  contempt,  were  they 
slaves  or  were  they  kings.  Conscious  of  a  sacred  mission  which 
they  were  destined  to  fulfil,  feeling  their  responsibility  as  custo- 
dians of  the  Law,  and  animated  by  the  hope  of  the  restoration  of 
their  national  life,  they  became  the  heroes  of  an  unequaled  mar- 
tyrdom consecrated  to  the  glory  of  God.  Through  many  centuries 
they  were  the  witnesses  of  the  instability  of  material  grandeur 
among  the  many  nations.  While  they  were  kept  alive  by  the  in- 
spiration of  a  holy  faith,  they  saw  one  power  succumb  to  another, 
each  in  turn  becoming  their  persecutors.  Over  and  over  again 
they  were  robbed  of  all  their  earthly  possessions,  but  they  took  good 
care  not  to  be  cheated  of  their  faith.  Pressed  as  they  were  on  all 
sides,  peace  and  honor  were  regarded  as  worthless  currency  when 
offered  them  in  exchange  for  that  gem  inherited  from  their  fore- 
fathers; although  treated  as  aliens  everywhere,  they  held  this  up 
as  the  sign  that  they  should  become  a  blessing  to  all  mankind. 

When  at  last  the  light  of  modern  times  began  to  illumine  the 
world,  and  under  its  benign  influence  man  was  gradually  led  from 


344  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 

serfdom  into  citizenship,  and  despotism  had  to  yield  to  representa- 
tive government,  the  Jew  could  not  be  excluded  altogether  from  the 
benefits  which  were  brought  about  by  the  salutary  changes.  In 
those  countries  which  led  in  the  advance  the  Jew  was  granted  equal 
rights.  It  seemed  as  if  an  era  in  the  world's  history  had  been 
reached  in  which  there  could  be  no  step  backward  in  the  application 
of  the  principle  of  equal  rights  for  all  men.  The  general  proposi- 
tion that  any  law  which  denied  the  rights  of  any  special  class  of 
men  carried  with  it  the  condition  that  the  rights  of  all  men  would 
be  rendered  insecure,  was  too  clear  to  be  disregarded.  No  class  of 
men,  therefore,  in  the  great  struggle  for  liberty,  could  demand 
rights  for  themselves  which  they  would  deny  to  others;  and  so  the 
Jew  came  in  for  his  share,  although  the  inference  is  Justified  that 
it  was  not  always  ungrudgingly  awarded. 

It  seemed  further  that  the  intimate  intercourse  among  the  na- 
tions which  marked  the  age  would  bring  them  rapidly  nearer  to 
each  other  in  their  sympathies,  and  that  the  memorable  political 
regeneration  which  had  so  greatly  changed  the  complexion  of 
Western  Europe  could  not  long  be  barred  out  of  the  Eastern 
empires. 

Under  these  favorable  auspices  the  Jew  entered  upon  a  new 
activity.  The  long  discipline  through  which  he  had  passed  aided 
him  greatly  in  the  various  fields  in  which  he  was  now  permitted 
to  move,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  attracted  attention  by  the- 
distinction  which  he  attained.  It  was  not  remarkable  that  he  suc- 
ceeded so  well  in  the  various  branches  of  commerce,  for,  even  with 
the  disadvantages  under  which  he  had  previously  labored,  his 
aptitude  in  this  direction  had  fully  manifested  itself.  He  now 
assumed  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  work  to  be  done  in  other  fields. 
He  had  suffered  under  the  unjust  accusation  that  he  had  no  ambi- 
tion except  for  gain,  but  he  soon  appeared  as  an  earnest  competitor 
in  every  avenue  which  led  to  honorable  fame.     In  the  arts  and  in 


Addresses.  345 

the  sciences,  in  literature  and  in  politics,  he  contributed  names 
which  will  remain  illustrious  for  all  time. 

Having  always  been  loyal  to  the  state,  even  when  he  had  to 
suffer  from  unkind  discriminations,  his  pride  in  full  citizenship 
knew  no  bounds ;  and  he  was  not  loath  to  rid  himself  of  character- 
istics, some  of  which  were  not  to  his  discredit,  in  order  thoroughly 
to  provide  against  the  continuance  of  social  distinctions  between 
him  and  other  citizens.  He  plunged  into  the  current  of  the  times, 
and  his  course  indicated  that  he  sought  his  welfare  in  directions  in 
which  he  drifted  farther  and  farther  from  his  Jewish  interests. 
He  lived  his  new  life  as  though  he  had  just  been  born,  and  as 
though  his  history  had  died  at  his  birth.  He  felt  sure  that  he  was 
now  standing  upon  firm  ground,  and  that  no  occasion  could  arise 
that  would  render  his  rights  insecure. 

History  has  often  repeated  itself,  however,  in  the  testimony 
which  it  has  recorded  in  regard  to  unexpected  interruptions  in  the 
onward  march  of  civilization ;  and  so  in  our  day  the  long-cherished 
hope  that  the  benign  influence  which  had  developed  in  Western 
Europe  would  travel  eastward  and  reach  the  Jews  where  they  were 
most  in  need  of  it  was  doomed  to  meet  a. sad  disappointment.  It 
M^as  a  most  bitter  irony  of  fate  that  the  storm  came  from  whence 
the  refreshing  zephyr  was  expected.  In  the  country  foremost 
among  those  high  in  culture  and  in  the  development  of  general  in- 
telligence an  intolerance  asserted  itself  which,  on  account  of  its 
anomalous  character,  had  to  assume  a  new  name,  "  Anti- 
Semitism";  this  Anti-Semitism  the  lamented  Frederick  III. 
(then  Crown  Prince)  denounced  as  "  Ein  Schmach  des 
JahrhundertsJ"  Moreover  the  contagion  spread  to  its  close 
neighbor,  that  mighty  empire  whose  institutions  were  formed 
in  the  mould  of  the  dark  ages,  and  there  it  incited  a 
cruel  persecution,  which,  in  the  intensity  of  its  barbarism, 
could    be    equaled    only    by    events    which    disgraced    mediaeval 


346  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M,  D. 

times.  Anti-Semitism  spread  from  Germany  to  Austria,  and 
even  secured  ,  .  .  some  foothold  in  Eepublican  France.  To 
provide  a  basis  upon  which  it  could  stand,  the  Jew  was  confronted 
by  a  remarkable  arraignment.  "  He  pushed  himself  forward  and 
secured  positions  which  others  should  occupy."  "  He  sent  too 
many  of  his  youth  to  higher  institutions  of  learning."  "  He  filled 
too  many  chairs  in  the  universities."  "  He  became  too  potent'  a 
factor  in  the  press."  These  were  some  of  the  charges  preferred 
against  him.  The  intelligence,  energy,  and  ambition  which  enabled 
him  to  elevate  himself,  and  which  would  have  been  commended  in 
any  one  else,  subjected  him  to  a  relentless  hatred.  He  was  de- 
nounced as  a  parasite  upon  the  nation,  although  he  was  an  inhabi- 
tant of  Germany  before  Christianity  was  brought  there,  and  was 
here,  as  almost  everywhere  else,  systematically  robbed,  whenever  it 
was  worth  while  doing  so,  for  many  centuries.  He  was  charged 
with  being  governed  by  a  low  standard  of  honor  in  his  dealings 
with  all  men,  and  this  by  the  party  which  sent  Ahlwardt  to  the 
Reichstag,  even  after  he  had  been  disgraced  in  a  court  of  law. 
Every  possible  distortion  of  statistics  was  made  use  of  to  place 
him  in  a  false  light  before  the  world,  to  Justify  the  cruel  ostracism 
to  which  he  was  at  once  subjected,  and  to  offer  a  plea  upon  which 
the  abrogation  of  his  rights  under  the  law  could  eventually  be  con- 
summated. Humiliating  as  this  condition  of  affairs  was  to  the  Ger- 
man Jew,  against  whom  it  was  specially  directed,  it  made  a  no 
less  profound  impression  upon  his  unfortunate  brother  in  Eussia. 
In  Russia  the  Jew  was  in  the  way  on  account  of  his  religion,  and 
inasmuch  as  he  could  not  be  made  to  desert  his  faith,  he  must  be 
gotten  rid  of.  In  Germany  no  one  objected  to  his  religion,  it  was 
said,  but  his  race,  as  a  component  part  of  the  nation,  would  vitiate 
the  ethical  well-being  of  the  "  Germanenthujn ;"  and  he  had  to  be 
degraded,  so  that  he  might  be  made  harmless.  The  persecution  in 
Eussia,  terrible  as  it  was,  could  be  more  readily  understood  than 


Addresses.  347 

the  Anti-Semitism  born  in  Germany.  The  former  was  the  out- 
come of  the  crime  of  one  man,  in  a  country  whose  people  could  not 
claim  rights ;  the  latter  is  the  sin  of  a  nation  whose  institutions  are 
based  on  the  theory  that  all  men  have  rights,  to  assail  which  is  a 
crime.  Everywhere  the  relation  of  the  Jew  to  the  rest  of  the  world 
has  been  and  is  being  busily  discussed,  and  there  has  arisen  what 
has  been  called  the  "  Jewish  Question."  Those  who  have  been 
forced  to  contemplate  expatriation  with  all  the  hardships  neces- 
sarily attending  it  felt  that  they  would  be  unwelcome  guests  wher- 
ever they  came.  It  has  become  more  and  more  evident  that  the 
Jew  is  more  or  less  hated  everywhere.  The  prejudice  against  him 
has  lasted  for  so  many  generations,  has  been  made  legitimate  by 
the  example  of  so  many  high  in  the  church  and  in  the  state,  that  it 
has  finally  established  itself  as  a  perverted  social  instinct,  to  eradi- 
cate which  will  require  a  very  extended  period  of  time  and  a  higher 
moral  development  than  the  world  has  yet  attained.  One  who  has 
come  into  possession  of  wealth  by  inheritance  would  be  rather  loath 
to  renounce  it  on  the  ground  that  it  had  originally  been  dishonestly 
acquired,  especially  on  the  allegation  of  one  who  was  known  not 
to  have  enjoyed  the  friendship  of  the  testator;  and  so  will  one 
generation,  inheriting  a  social  prejudice  from  previous  generations, 
be  disinclined  to  give  it  up  for  the  benefit  of  one  who  has  been 
considered  an  outsider  for  an  untold  number  of  generations. 

The  efforts  of  the  Jews  themselves  and  of  their  friendly  advo- 
cates to  place  their  cause  in  a  true  light  before  the  world  have  not 
met  with  much  success.  The  hideous  caricature  under  which  the 
Jew  has  so  long  been  maliciously  represented,  has  finally  made  such 
a  lasting  impression  upon  the  mental  vision  of  his  enemies  that, 
no  matter  in  what  guise  he  appears,  he  assumes  the  repugnant 
form  under  which  he  has  become  familiar.  So  far  there  is  no  indica- 
tioji  which  can  encourage  us  to  hope  that  any  speedy  change  will 
take  place  in  this  morbid  condition.     The  restoration  of  healthy 


348  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

function  to  a  perverted  sense  which  has  suffered  for  generations 
from  a  hereditary  infirmity,  is  an  extremely  slow  process.  In  in- 
dividual cases  the  Jew  will  succeed  by  life-long  reputation  for  in- 
tegrity, by  special  talents,  or  rare  genius,  in  winning  due  recogni- 
tion, but  the  friendship  which  it  may  bring  him  will  not  benefit  any 
other  Jew;  on  the  other  hand,  when  one  Jew  brings  himself  into 
discredit,  the  Jews  as  a  class  are  embraced  in  the  condemnation 
which  follows.  The  antagonism  which  is  directed  against  the  Jew 
proceeds  everywhere  from  the  same  cause,  only  its  expression  varies 
according  to  the  state  of  civilization  in  the  respective  countries  in 
which  it  exists.  It  is  very  unfortunate,  therefore,  that  the  geo- 
graphical distribution  of  the  Jews  is  such  that  only  a  comparatively 
small  number  live  in  the  more  highly  developed  states  of  Western 
Europe,  while  probably  more  than  one-half  of  the  entire  number 
are  to  be  found  congregated  in  a  rather  small  area  in  Eastern 
Europe,  where  the  harshest  conditions  prevail. 

It  would  be  a  sad  mistake  to  continue  to  suffer  and  to  wait  for 
that  period  when  the  brotherhood  of  man  will  be  fully  established, 
and  those  enmities  based  upon  differences  in  descent  and  belief 
will  cease.  But  what  shall  we  do?  The  Choveve  Zion  have  given 
an  answer  to  this  question.  It  is  based  upon  the  conviction  that 
the  preservation  of  the  dignity  of  the  Jewish  people  all  over  the 
world  depends  upon  the  revival  of  the  national  idea.  This  will 
bind  them  closer  to  their  Jewish  interests;  and  this  is  gradually 
to  secure  for  a  portion  of  those  imbued  with  the  national  sentiment, 
who  are  now  suffering  from  the  depressing  influences  prevailing 
within  the  overcrowded  pale  of  settlement,  a  life  such  as  their  an- 
cestors led,  amid  the  scenes  of  their  ancient  history.  Here  the 
Jew  is  to  find  peace  in  a  simpler  and  more  natural  life.  Here,  in 
freer  movements,  in  fresher  air,  he  is  to  regain  his  physical 
strength.  Here,  under  the  inspiration  of  a  glorious  past,  Jewish 
thought  is  to  develop  in  its  richest  spontaneity.     Here,  to  the 


Addresses.  349 

land  where  milk  and  honey  once  flowed,  the  Jew  shall  come  from 
his  latest  expatriation  to  redeem  it  from  the  waste,  worn  as  the 
badge  of  mourning  for  the  children  carried  off  by  the  ancient  exile. 
This  sentiment  led  to  the  organization  of  the  Choveve  Zion  Asso- 
ciation in  Eussia  in  1882,  shortly  after  the  outbreak  of  the  perse- 
cution which  has  become  so  memorable;  but,  from  the  nature  of 
things  in  that  empire,  it  continued  to  exist  in  secret  until  1890, 
when  it  received  the  sanction  of  the  government.  While  it  still 
receives  its  largest  support  in  Eussia,  similar  associations  have  been 
established  in  Austria,  Germany,  England,  France,  and,  I  am  glad 
to  add,  in  this  country.  Twenty-four  colonies  have  thus  far  been 
established,  embracing  a  population  of  over  four  thousand  souls. 
The  progress  of  these  colonies  has  made  it  clear  that  the  project 
of  repopulating  Palestine  by  Jews  in  this  way  is  perfectly  feasible. 
It  is  true  that  these  colonies  are  still  far  from  having  reached  full 
prosperity,  but  the  increasing  reward  which  has  attended  the  per- 
sistent labor  of  the  earnest  colonists  warrants  the  assumption  that 
it  will  not  be  long  before  they  will  be  able  to  rely  entirely  upon 
themselves.  The  Choveve  Zion  will  then  be  enabled  to  devote 
their  means  to  the  gradual  organization  of  new  colonies.     .     .     .^ 

The  idea  has  taken  deep  root  that  the  Jews  should  acquire  a 
home  which  should  be  their  own,  and  which  should  be  where  their 
ancestors  lived  and  received  that  inspiration  which  will  remain  im- 
perishable. 

Under  the  influence  of  this  sentiment,  a  new  and  quite  extensive 
Hebrew  literature  has  been  produced.  Throughout  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Choveve  Zion,  the  acquisition  of  a  home  in  Palestine 
and  the  revival  of  the  Hebrew  language  have  been  inseparably 
interwoven.     ..." 

The  creation  of  a  literature     .     .     .    unmistakably  signifies  that 

^  A  detailed  description  of  the  colonies  follows. 

*  A  sketch  of  the  Renaissance  of  Hebrew  literature  follows. 


350  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 

the  national  idea  has  taken  new  and  deep  root  and  is  not  likely  to 
prove  an  ephemeral  growth,  but  that  it  will  become  stronger  and 
stronger.  The  return  in  a  few  years  of  thousands  of  Jews  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  out  of  which  they  had  been  driven  by  the 
unfriendly  fate  of  twenty  centuries,  under  conditions  demanding 
such  brave  resolution,  evidences  an  earnestness  of  purpose  which 
points  to  great  possibilities.  Palestine  was  peopled  by  Israel  and 
yielded  sustenance  to  millions.  It  was  wrested  from  Israel  and 
remained  despoiled.  Fertility  is  again  to  be  restored  to  it  by 
Jewish  hands.  In  the  deserted  places  Jewish  villages  shall  arise. 
The  vine-clad  hills  shall  again  recount  the  story  of  happy  Jewish 
homes.  The  peaceful  valleys  shall  give  testimony  of  renewed 
Jewish  life.  The  cities  shall  be  redeemed  from  degeneracy  through 
Western  culture,  which  the  exile  shall  bring  with  him.  He  who 
was  a  medium  through  which  civilization  reached  the  West  during 
the  dark  ages  will  appropriately  become  the  bearer  of  enlighten- 
ment through  which  the  Orient  is  destined  to  be  regenerated.  In- 
stitutions are  to  be  reared  which  shall  become  the  laboratories  of 
Jewish  thought.  The  Jew  is  again  to  rise  to  his  full  dignity  and 
show  the  world  how  much  light  Judaism  has  shed  and  is  yet  capable 
of  shedding  upon  all  mankind.  This  is  the  grand  ideal  which 
thousands  upon  thousands  hope  for  and  are  willing  to  work  and  to 
suffer  for. 

But  the  influence  of  this  movement  is  not  to  be  restricted  to 
those  who  have,  or  who  are  willing  to  cast  their  lot  in  Palestine. 
It  is  to  take  a  strong  hold  upon  the  Jew  everywhere.  To  him  who 
is  still  suffering  from  formidable  persecution  it  is  to  be  the  great 
hope  that  shall  sustain  him  through  his  trial.  To  him  who  has 
been  elevated  to  full  citizenship  by  the  law,  but  made  an  alien  by 
the  social  decree,  as  in  Germany  and  elsewhere,  it  will  afford  that 
self-emancipation  which  is  to  shield  him  from  the  allurements  of 
the  hour  and  fit  him  for  the  purposes  of  a  high  destiny.     Through- 


Addresses.  351 

out  the  great  struggle,  which  is  eventually  to  establish  the  brother- 
hood of  man,  in  which  we  are  all  to  lend  our  best  efforts,  the  great 
fellowship  which  has  hitherto  embraced  the  Jews  of  every  land  is 
inviolably  to  be  maintained.  In  dealing  with  the  antipathy  which 
assails  him  because  he  is  a  Jew,  he  is  to  think,  to  live,  and  to  act 
in  a  renewed  realization  that  there  is  nothing  so  sure  to  contribute 
to  his  happiness  as  that  which  is  Jewish.  He  is  to  stop  bartering 
away  his  old  treasures  for  flimsy  novelties.  He  is  not  to  borrow 
from  others,  when  he  is  in  possession  of  an  inheritance  by  which 
the  whole  world  can  be  enriched.  This  is  how  the  "  Jewish  Ques- 
tion "  is  to  be  answered  for  the  Jew,  not  in  a  cringing  spirit,  but 
animated  by  the  pride  of  being  descended  from  a  noble  ancestry, 
to  whom  the  whole  world  is  indebted  for  having  been  the  bearers 
of  a  message  which  was  the  first  to  publish  the  lessons  of  justice 
and  humanity. 

In  the  revival  of  the  national  idea  it  is  not  proposed  that  all 
Jews  be  settled  in  Palestine.  If  those  who  have  been  honored  by 
citizenship  in  the  more  favored  lands  will  but  enter  into  the  spirit 
which  underlies  the  movement,  they  can  promote  the  cause  by  re- 
viving the  study  of  the  Hebrew  language,  by  forming  societies  of 
Choveve  Zion,  as  has  been  done  in  England  and  in  Germany,  and 
by  living  consistently  the  life  of  a  Jew;  and  by  promoting  the 
cause  in  this  way  they  will  honor  themselves,  and  fortify  them- 
selves to  assume  an  attitude  against  which  the  shafts  of  Anti- 
Semitism  will  prove  unavailing. 

"  The  eminence,  the  nobleness  of  a  people,  depends  on  its  capa- 
bility of  being  stirred  by  memories,  and  for  striving  for  what  we 
call  spiritual  ends — ends  which  consist  not  in  immediate  material 
possession,  but  in  the  satisfaction  of  a  great  feeling  that  animates 
the  collective  body  as  with  one  soul."  These  are  the  encouraging 
words  which  came  from  George  Eliot. 

The  Jew  is  confronted  by  the  alternative,  either  to  make  a  brave 


353  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D. 

resistance  against  the  modern  influences  which  conspire  to  bring 
about  his  disintegration,  and  to  come  out  of  the  fight  with  a  new 
victory  to  add  to  his  glorious  record ;  or,  misled  by  the  false  mean- 
ing of  assimilation,  to  surrender  to  what  he  is  made  to  believe  is 
inevitable,  and  to  suffer  the  ignominious  doom  of  the  forgotten. 
But  Israel  will  not  surrender !  A  Maccabean  spirit  will  arise  anew 
to  fire  the  Jewish  heart  to  cast  out  the  idols  from  the  sanctuary. 
It  was  not  Israel  that  sold  his  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage.  It 
was  his  to  struggle  and  to  win. 


APPENDIX. 

LIST   OF  PUBLISHED  AND   UNPUBLISHED  WRITINGS.* 

Letter    from    Berlin"     (dealing    with    Glaucoma    and    Iridectomy), 

Maryland  and  Virginia  Medical  Journal,  1861,  Vol.  XVI,  p.  349. 
'The  Pulse,"  a  paper  read  before  one  of  the  Baltimore  medical  so- 
cieties, 186 .  ,     ,    e  4^U^ 

'Diseases    of   the    Lachrymal   Apparatus,"    a    paper    read    before   the 

Baltimore  Medical  Association,  1869. 
'  Sympathetic  Ophthalmia,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical 

Association,  1869.  .     ,   o,     •  4. 

"Exophthalmic  Goitre,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Pathological  Society 

of  Baltimore,  1870  (?).  .  ^.     , 

"  Purulent  Ophthalmia,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical 
Association,  April,  1870. 

"  Traumatic  Cataract,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical  As- 
sociation, April  24,  1871. 

"Various  Conditions  of  the  Nerves  of  the  Eye  Regulating  the  Con- 
traction and  Dilatation  of  the  Pupil,"  a  paper  read  before  the 
Medical  and  Surgical  Society  of  Baltimore,  May  4,  1871. 

"  Iritis,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical  Association,  Sep- 
tember, 1871.  ^^   ^     .   ^^-^ 

"Retinitis   Complicated  with  Bright's  Disease,"    Trans.  Med.  £   Chir. 

Faculty,  October,  1871.  „     .  ^       f 

"  Eczema,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Medical  and  Surgical  Society  of 

Baltimore,  February  8,  1872.  \ 

"  Glaucoma."  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical  Association. 

November  11,  1872.  . 

"Phlyctenular    Ophthalmia,"    a    paper    read    before    the    Medical    and 

Surgical  Society  of  Baltimore,  May  1,  1873. 
Introductory  Lecture  to  the  Course  on  Diseases  of  the  Eye  and  Ear 
delivered    before    the    Class   of   the    College     of     Physicians     and 
Surgeons,  Baltimore,  October,  1873. 
"Report  on  Surgery:    Indications  for  the  Enucleation  of  the  Eye-ball 
and  the  Correction  of  the  Deformity  by  the  Insertion  of  an  Arti- 
ficial Eye,"   read  before  the  Medical   and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of 
Maryland,  April,  1876;    Trans.  Med.  d  Chir.  Faculty,  1876,  p.  82; 
also  Cincinnati  Medical  News,  November,  1877. 

*  The  unpublished  writings  are  preserved  in  manuscript. 


354  Aaron  Fkiedenwald,  M.  D. 


"  Ophthalmological  Notes"  (including  "  Ansesthetics  in  Ophthalmic 
Surgery"  and  "Spasm  of  the  Accommodation"),  a  paper  read 
before  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Maryland,  April, 
1878;   Trans.  Med.  t6  Chir.  Faculty,  1878,  p.  94. 

"  The  Eye,"  a  Lecture  delivered  before  the  Hebrew  Young  Men's  As- 
sociation of  Baltimore,  1878. 

"  Optic  Neuritis,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical  Associa- 
tion, April  11,  1881;  Maryland  Medical  Journal,  August  1  and  15, 
1881;  also  reprinted  separately. 

"  Introductory  Address,  delivered  before  the  Class  of  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  Baltimore  City,  September  14,  1881, 
.     .     .     Published  by  the  Class." 

"  Address  on  the  Occasion  of  the  Dedication  of  the  Newly  Acquired 
Ground  at  the  Simchath  Thorah  Festival  of  the  Hebrew  Hospital 
and  Asylum  Association  of  Baltimore  City,  October  16,  1881,"  pub- 
lished by  the  Association,  Baltimore,  1881. 

"  Old  Foes  and  New  Friends,"  an  Address  upon  Anti-Semitism,  deliv- 
ered before  the  Hebrew  Young  Men's  Association  of  Baltimore 
(1882?). 

"  Enucleation  and  Optico-Ciliary  Neurotomy,"  a  Clinical  Lecture  before 
the  Class  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons;  Medical 
Chronicle    (Baltimore),  Vol.   I,  1883,  p.  150. 

"  Four  Cases  of  Syphilitic  Brain  Disease  Complicated  with  Eye  Dis- 
ease"  (1883?). 

"  Relation  of  Eye  and  Spinal  Diseases,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Medical 
and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Maryland;  Trans.  Med.  &  Chir.  Faculty, 
1883,  p.  187;  also  reprinted  separately.  (Abstracted  in  Medical 
News  (Philadelphia),  Vol.  XLII,  1883,  p.  505,  and  in  the  Maryland 
Medical  Journal,  Vol.  X,  1883-4,  p.  25.) 

"  Uraemic  Amaurosis,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Medical  As- 
sociation, June  9,  1883;  Medical  News  (Philadelphia),  April  9, 
1884;  abstracted  in  the  Medical  Chronicle  (Baltimore),  November, 
1884. 

"  Recent  Progress  in  Ophthalmology,"  a  review  of  current  literature, 
Medical  Chronicle  (Baltimore),  August,  1883. 

Address  Commemorative  of  Dr.  Andrew  Hartman  (f December  15,  1884). 

Address  delivered  at  the  Purim  Banquet  of  the  Hebrew  Ladies'  Orphans' 
Aid  Society,  Baltimore,  February  27,   1885. 

"  Foreign  Bodies  in  the  Eye,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Clinical  Society 
of  Baltimore,  March  20,  1885. 

"  Four  Cases  of  Eye-Injuries,"  described  at  the  meeting  of  the  Balti- 
more Medical  Association,  November  10,  1885;  Medical  Times 
(Philadelphia),  December  12,  1885. 

"  Osteosarcoma  at  Base  of  Skull,"  Maryland  Medical  Journal,  1886, 
p.  500. 


Appendix.  355 

"A  Case  of  Optic  Neuritis  with  Brain  Symptoms:  Recovery,  witli  Re- 
marks," a  paper  read  before  the  Clinical  Society  of  Baltimore, 
December,  1885;   'New  York  Medical  Journal,  February  5,  1887. 

Address  Commemorative  of  Professor  John  S.  Lynch,  M.  D.,  delivered 
before  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Maryland,  October 
7,  1888;  published  in  abstract  in  Trans.  Med.  cG  Chir.  Faculty,  1889, 
p.  42. 

"  Disturbed  Equilibrium  of  the  Muscles  of  the  Eye  as  a  Factor  in  the 
Causation  of  Nervous  Diseases,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Medical 
and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Maryland;  Trans.  Med.  d  CMr.  Faculty, 
1889,  p.  199;  also  reprinted  separately. 

"  Iodoform  in  Gonorrhceal  Ophthalmia,"  a  paper  read  before  one  of  the 
Baltimore  medical  societies,  1889. 

Address  delivered  at  the  Opening  of  the  New  City  Hospital,  Baltimore, 
January  1,  1889. 

"  Detachment  of  the  Retina,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Baltimore  Med- 
ical Association,  November  11,  1889;  Maryland  Medical  Journal, 
Vol.  XXII,  1889,  p.  205. 

Address  at  the  Semi-Annual  Session  of  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical 
Faculty  of  Maryland,  Hagerstown,  November  12,  1889;  published 
in  part  in  Trans.  Med.  d  Chir.  Faculty,  1890,  p.  10. 

Address  delivered  at  the  Simchath  Torah  Festival  of  the  Hebrew  Hos- 
pital and  Asylum  Association,  1890. 

"  The  Modern  Hospital,"  Presidential  Address  before  the  Medical  and 
Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Baltimore,  1890;  Trans.  Med.  d  Chir.  Fac- 
ulty, 1890,  p.  145;  also  Marylarid  Medical  Journal,  Vol.  XXIII,  1890, 
p.  1. 

"  Jewish  Immigration,"  an  Address,  published  in  the  American  Hebrew 
(New  York),  (1891?). 

Address  at  the  Celebration  in  Honor  of  the  Seventieth  Birthday  of 
Professor  Virchow,  held  in  the  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Balti- 
more, October  13,  1891;  published  in  the  Johns  Hopkins  University 
Circular. 

"  Charity,"  an  Address  delivered  at  the  Annual  Banquet  of  the  Hebrew 
Benevolent  Society,  Baltimore,  December  1,  1892. 

Address  delivered  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Baltimore  Branch  of 
the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  March  19,  1893. 

"  Paralysis  of  the  Eye  Muscles  of  Central  and  Peripheral  Origin,"  a 
paper  read  before  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Mary- 
land, April,  1894;  Maryland  Medical  Journal,  May  26,  1894;  also 
reprinted  separately. 

"  Lovers  of  Zion,"  an  address  delivered  before  the  Mickve  Israel  Asso- 
-  elation  of  Philadelphia,  December  23,  1894;  published  in  the  Jew- 
ish Exponent  (Philadelphia)  and  reprinted  by  the  Zion  Association 
of  Baltimore. 


356  Aaron  Friedenwald,  M.  D, 


"  Jewish  Physicians  and  the  Contributions  of  Jews  to  the  Science  of 
Medicine:  a  Lecture  delivered  before  the  Gratz  College  of  Phila- 
delphia, January  20,  1896";  Publications  of  Gratz  College,  No.  1; 
also  reprinted  separately,  Philadelphia,  1897. 

"  A  Trip  to  Palestine,"  an  Address  read  before  the  Young  Men  s  Hebrew 
Association  of  Philadelphia,  February  25,  1899,  and  also  before 
societies  in  Baltimore  and  New  Yorli;  published  in  the  Jeivish 
Exponent  (Philadelphia). 

"  Glimpses  in  Palestine,"  an  Address  delivered  before  a  Jewish  society 
in  Baltimore  (1899?). 

"  History  of  Medicine  before  Hippocrates,"  a  paper  published  in  the 
Journal  of  the  Alumni  Association  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  April,  1900. 

"Circumcision"  (Medical  Aspects),  an  Article  in  the  Jewish  Ency- 
clopedia, Vol.  IV. 

"Doctor  George  H.  Rohe:  A  Memoir,"  read  at  the  Memorial  Meeting 
of  the  Maryland  Health  Association,  May  23,  1901;  published  in 
pamphlet  form. 

"  Removal  of  the  Crystalline  Lens  for  High  Degrees  of  Myopia," 
Journal  of  the  Alumni  Association  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  Baltimore,  July,  1901. 

Address  at  the  Celebration  held  in  Honor  of  the  Completion  of  the 
Twenty-fifth  Year  of  the  Reverend  Dr.  Henry  W.  Schneeberger's 
Service  as  Rabbi  of  the  Chizuk  Emoonah  Congregation,  Baltimore, 
October  20,  1901. 

"  The  National  Jewish  Hospital  for  Consumptives,"  an  Article  pub- 
lished posthumously  in  the  Jewish  Comment  (Baltimore),  Novem- 
ber 14,  1902. 


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